PIX 11 News | by: Grace Gomez — Posted: Jan 28, 2025 / 10:29 PM EST
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) — Several arrests were reported Tuesday as Starbucks baristas went on strike in Park Slope. The strike and sit-in happened just days before the unionized store was slated to close.
Striking workers claim the company will not bargain with them.
At least 7 people were arrested during a peaceful protest ahead of the planned closure of the union store, as the coffee giant faces backlash for not negotiating a fair national contract with raises and benefits.
“Starbucks workers, we are the ones that understand the day-to-day operations at Starbucks, and we should have a voice in the decisions that the company makes. We need a contract now!” said Orioon Booth a barista at the Park Slope location.
With that store set to close this Friday, workers argue the company has failed to bargain with them.
Michelle Eisen, a 14-year barista and Starbucks partner from the first store to win their union in Buffalo in 2021 says, “These are workers with families with rents to pay and groceries to buy and they really have failed to leave them in any kind of condition that makes them feel safe and secure.”
PIX11 News reached out to Starbucks but did not receive a response as of Tuesday night. However, in a statement they issued to PIX11 News in February 2024, they said in part: “While we believe our direct relationship as partners is core to our culture and our continued improvements to the partner experience, we respect the rights of partners to organize and reaffirm our aim to negotiate first contracts for represented stores.”
The workers were supported by community members gathering outside the store with signs just weeks after the company failed to offer baristas raises in the first year of the union contract.
“Do what’s right, stop silencing workers, stop exploiting workers, pay up… pay up now,” said Shahana Hanif, NYC council member.
Starbucks announced the store would close just months after the location unionized. Six other union locations are also set to close.
