Starbucks Workers Across Multiple Locations Divided on Union Membership

Employees at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Chicago have rejected union membership, dealing a major setback to Workers United, a part of the Service Employees International Union. The vote, conducted under federal supervision, resulted in 119 votes against the union and 90 in favor. Workers who opposed unionization cited a respectful relationship with management and a belief that Starbucks is a good company. Workers United has filed charges of unfair labor practices with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing Starbucks of an aggressive anti-union campaign. The union has won representation elections at 355 Starbucks stores in the US, but has yet to secure contracts for any of those locations.