| Today, the New Jersey State AFL-CIO joined the picket line with Starbucks Workers United at two shops with our sisters and brothers who voted to be represented by the union and are pressuring Starbucks’ management to enter negotiations on a fair first contract.
The strikes are part of a national day of action known as the “Red Cup Rebellion.”
Over 2000 Starbucks workers at more than 112 stores went on strike during Starbucks’ infamous Red Cup Day, to show management that the entire labor movement stands behind the workers as they fight for a contract. Red Cup Day is the equivalent of Black Friday for Starbucks.
In New Jersey, several of our affiliates including SMART Local 25, CWA, UFCW, AFSCME, and BMWED stood in solidarity with the striking baristas. They marched in front of Starbucks locations in Montclair and Hopewell, chanted pro-union slogans, waived signs, and persuaded would-be customers to get their coffee, breakfast and holiday stocking stuffers elsewhere.
In addition to keeping the pressure up on management, the action was also aimed at increasing awareness of the worker safety, pay, and respect at work issues that drove the baristas to unionize. As Starbucks’ management fights the union’s demands to enter contract negotiations, public support for unions is the highest its been for generations, according to recent public polling. |
