|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…
|
Partners at the 2nd and F Street Starbucks location in San Bernardino are officially joining the booming Starbucks Workers United (SBWU) movement. On Thursday, June 12, SBWU hosted a community “sip-in” in support of workers during their ongoing union campaign.
“Sip-ins” are a supportive action where community members show support to unionizing stores. They do this by ordering drinks under the name “Union Strong” while tipping generously. These actions have been popularized by SBWU, showing workers and management alike how much the public supports their fight for what they deserve. In San Bernardino, this action was a success!
Prior to the “sip-in,” both an organizer and a partner from the San Bernardino location informed the delegate body of our Labor Council about the event. Many union members headed over on Thursday, and shared it with their members.
Members of the Slow Bloom Coffee Cooperative (Teamsters 1932) showed up particularly strong. Both workers shared the unique struggle of organizing a coffee chain in the Inland Empire. It was heartwarming to hear about this worker to worker support, showing solidarity in action.
Starbucks workers and Labor Council staff.
During the “sip-in,” staff and members of the Labor Council visited the location to show our support to these partners. That morning, we were all named “Union Strong.” After ordering we spoke with workers about their specific workplace issues, issues common across the Inland Empire.
Common workplace issues faced by partners
Security, both physical and mental, stood out as a major issue. Partners previously had a great relationship with their manager. This changed when that manager was moved to a different store and the partners received a new one. Once their union drive went public, the work environment quickly declined due to management, as it often does.
Energy towards the workers changed. Gone are the morning greetings with a smile from management. Partners are now ignored until it’s time for a work related discussion. Management nitpicks the smallest infractions and confronts workers if they are even a minute late. Additionally, as is common in food service jobs, management changes schedules quickly and without input from workers.
Furthermore, workers often have to arrive alone to open the store in the early morning, and need adequate staffing so they don’t have to worry about facing any issues without support. These reasons and more are why workers are fighting for respect in the workplace that’s not susceptible to change, but solidified with a strong, union contract!
Let’s all continue to support the workers of the 2nd and F Street Starbucks as they keep fighting for respect and dignity in the workplace. Follow @SBWUWS on Instagram and stay tuned for their next “sip-in.” If you visit the Starbucks, let the workers know you support them!
