1 E Main Street
Madison, WI
12/24/24
A small but vocal group of Starbucks workers from local stores in Madison, WI were on the picket line for a five-day strike, asking for fair wages, safer working conditions, and a contract. They join workers striking at over 300 Starbucks locations in these cities: Atlanta - Alpharetta, Bellingham, Boston - Westford, Buffalo, Cheyenne, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, and Dallas. - Denton, Denver, Eugene, Long Island, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Portland, Madison, Richmond, Minneapolis - St. Anthony, Salt Lake City, NYC - Manhattan, San Jose, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Seattle.
From a Starbucks Workers United Instagram post about the strike:
BREAKING: today is the biggest ULP (Unfair Labor Practice) strike at Starbucks EVER! Starbucks Baristas at over THREE HUNDRED stores have walked off the job to demand Starbucks bargain a fair contract from coast-to-coast TURN UP TO ONE OF THESE ANCHOR PICKETS AND SUPPORT WORKERS ON STRIKE!
We're fighting for a living wage, fair scheduling, and accessible benefits at a time when Starbucks seems to prefer investing in CEO Brian Niccol's $113 million compensation package. The company's last economic proposal - NO immediate wage increases - is unacceptable. SBWU is demanding the company present us with a serious economic offer at the bargaining table!
Workers shouldn't struggle to pay their bills while working for one of the biggest fast-food corporations in the world. If Starbucks wants to put their money where their mouth is, it's time to invest in WORKERS the way they're investing in rich CEOs. We demand Starbucks bargain a fair contract!
In a statement online from Sara Kelly, Starbucks executive vice president and chief partner officer, the company highlighted its overall number of employees while minimizing the impact of the “very small number of stores” affected by the strike. In negotiations, Starbucks has offered no immediate wage increase but said it would guarantee a 1.5% increase in the future. Starbucks’ profits over the past year were $36.18 billion, an increase of over 30 billion since 2004. Earlier this year, Brian Niccol was given nearly $113 million to be the new CEO of Starbucks, a four-times larger package than the previous CEO. The ask that workers be fairly compensated and have safe, equitable working conditions is small compared to what the company is willing to pay Mr. Niccol.
Note: I am not affiliated with any political organizations. I am an independent freelance photographer covering marches, protests, and rallies in Madison, Wisconsin, documenting the people's right to free speech and their right to organize.
