Starbucks workers at Arizona store to vote for union

A Starbucks site in Arizona could be the next to unionize after securing a demand to hold an election.

A US labor official granted the request, dismissing the company’s arguments against holding store-by-store votes.

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In a decision on Friday, the regional director of the National Labor Relations Board ordered that the ballots be mailed Jan. 14 to employees at a store in Mesa, Ariz., according to Bloomberg.

The regional director ruled that the employees of the same site constitute an appropriate pool of voters for a union election.

Store employees have until January 28 to return their ballots.

STARBUCKS SAYS IT WILL NEGOTIATE IN GOOD FAITH WITH UNION FIRST STORE

The move follows a union victory last month in which Starbucks employees in New York City voted to establish the first unionized restaurant among thousands of U.S. locations operated by the coffee chain.

The organizing movement has since gathered momentum as workers in cities like Boston; Chicago; Knoxville, Tennessee; and Starbucks’ hometown of Seattle have all petitioned to unionize.

The labor group representing workers in New York and Arizona is an affiliate of the Service Employees International Union, Workers United.

STARBUCKS REQUIRES COVID-19 VACCINE OR WEEKLY TEST FOR EMPLOYEES

In response to Friday’s decision, a Starbucks spokesperson referred to a December letter to employees at the New York store in which the company’s North American president, Rossann Williams, said, “We don’t not want a union between us as partners ”, but that“ we respect the legal process ”, and“ will negotiate in good faith ”.

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Employees at the newly unionized New York store have staged a walkout since Wednesday against what they say are insufficient COVID-19 guarantees and staff.

Starbucks said it exceeded guidelines from experts and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention