70 More Starbucks in 22 States to Vote on Unionizing in June


     Across the country, more than 110 Starbucks stores have voted to form unions since December 2021, when five stores in Buffalo voted to form unions after initially having filed the paperwork to do so in August 2021. The Starbucks Workers United union hit the milestone of 100 stores at the very end of May 2022, weeks ahead of when they were expected to do so, and that is in the face of an unprecedented wave of union busting that has seen Starbucks withhold wage and benefit increases from unionized stores, fire employees involved in organizing, distribute anti-labor propaganda at stores across the country (and even post it on their website), and even close down a store in Ithaca, the first city in the country in which every Starbucks store became unionized.

     Still, that hasn't stopped more than 300 stores in nearly 35 states from petitioning the National Labor Relations Board to unionize: This month is on track to be the busiest month yet, and the trend in favor of unionization shows no signs of slowing down. The following stores have or have add election dates this June:

Maryland: Three stores voted for unions (in favor of unionization) on June 1st.

Pennsylvania: One store in Pittsburgh voted to unionize on June 16th. One store in Philadelphia voted in favor of unionization on June 21st.

Louisiana: A store in New Orleans became the first in the state to vote in favor of unionization on June 4th.

Washington: One store in Seattle voted in favor of a union on June 1st. Two stores in Seattle will vote on June 6th. A store in Marysville, Washington overwhelmingly voted to unionize on June 21st. One store in Bellingham voted unanimously to unionize on June 24th.

Minnesota: One store in St. Anthony voted in favor of a union on June 6th. One store in Minneapolis voted against unionization on June 14th. One store in Minneapolis voted in favor of unionization on June 21st.

California: One store in Mill Valley voted against unionization on June 6th. One store in Capitola voted in favor of unionization on June 6th. One store in Anaheim voted in favor of unionization on June 9th. One store in Anaheim voted yes to a union on June 16th. One store in Long Beach voted against a union on June 21st. One store in La Quinta, California voted to join a union by one contested ballot on June 23rd. A store in Los Angeles voted against unionization on June 29th.

Illinois: Two stores in Chicago voted against unions and one in favor on June 7th.

Michigan: Five stores in Ann Arbor voted in favor of unionizing on June 7th while one voted against. One store in Clinton Township voted for a union on June 9th. One store in Lansing voted for a union on June 9th. One store in East Lansing voted for a union on June 9th. One store in Flint voted for a union on June 9th. One store in Grand Blanc voted against unionization on June 9th. One store in Ypsilanti voted to form a union on June 17th.

Tennessee: One store in Memphis voted in favor of a union on June 7th.

Kansas: One store in Lawrence voted for a union on June 7th.

Florida: One store in Oviedo voted in favor of unionization on June 9th. One store in Winter Park will vote on June 14th.

Connecticut: A store in West Hartford became the first in the state to unionize on June 9th.

Missouri: One store in Kansas City will vote on June 9th. Two stores in St. Louis will voted in favor of unionization and one against on June 13th.

Texas: One store in Austin voted for a union on June 3rd, the first in the state to unionize. Another store in Austin voted in favor of unionization on June 10th. One store in San Antonio voted for a union on June 14th. One store in San Antonio voted to unionize on June 21st. 

Oklahoma: One store in Oklahoma City voted in favor of unionization on June 14th.

Wisconsin: One store in Appleton voted yes to unionization on June 16th. One store in Madison voted 15 to one to unionize on June 30th.

Georgia: One store in Atlanta voted for a union on June 6th. One store in Atlanta voted to become unionized on June 22nd.

Massachusetts: One store in Gardner became the 12th in the state to unionize and the 10th in the state to do so unanimously.

Virginia: One store in Roanoke became the first in Appalachia to vote in favor of unionizing on June 27th.

Oregon: One store in Portland became the 17th in Oregon and the 10th in Portland to unionize on June 23rd.

Arizona: One store in Tucson will vote on June 28th.

Ohio: One store in Cincinatti became the first in the city to vote to unionize on June 23rd. One store in Westerville voted yes to unionization on June 29th.

New York: One store in Queens, New York City voted in favor of unionization on June 6th. One store in Albany voted in favor of unionization on June 7th. One store in Westbury, Long Island voted unanimously to unionize on June 10th. One store in Buffalo voted to unionize on June 16th. One store in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York City voted for a union on June 21st. Another store in Astoria, Queens, New York City voted in favor of unionization on June 30th.

     This list may not be complete simply because of the sheer pace at which these elections are happening. For example, there are still eight elections from April and May for which I do not know the results. What I do know is that workers are winning 90 percent or more of the elections being held across the country. At the current rate, workers are on track to have won elections at 150 stores by Independence Day and have applied for unionization at at least 365 stores in the 365 days from August 2021 to August 2022 with wins at at least 200 of those locations. The first elections for July are already scheduled.

     There is still so much more work to do: we need to win at least one election in every state, make it a competition to ensure unionization continues at a breakneck pace, take action against Howard Schultz's illegal campaign to stop unionization, and so much more. Soon, we may be talking about thousands of unionized Starbucks, not just hundreds. It's not just Starbucks, either: from Amazon to Apple, the time to organize is now.

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