On Wednesday morning, a group of baristas gathered at the patio of the Starbucks at the Robertson's Creek shopping center in Flower Mound. They wore T-shirts that said "Be Gay and Organize” and let potential customers know they were on strike, handing out detailed leaflets on what they're asking from the company.
The strike is part of a nationwide protest — now in its sixth day — against an alleged change in policy at some stores that have taken down Pride Month decorations.
More than 3,000 workers at more than 150 stores across the country have joined the strike, arguing unfair labor practices in Starbucks’ failure to bargain with them over what they say are changes to the company’s decoration policies.
Starbucks Workers United wrote in a statement that despite Starbucks claiming there has been no policy change, workers across the country have been speaking out to prove otherwise.
"This is a clear continuation of Starbucks’ anti-union campaign to intimidate workers and make them feel unwelcome in their own workplace," the union said in a statement. "The Starbucks Workers United movement is largely led by LGBTQ+ partners (employees), and this is Starbucks’ latest attempt to silence them."
Along with the statement, the union provided a list of locations where Pride decorations have apparently been taken down, including in Georgia, Wisconsin and Ohio.
The Flower Mound location chose not to take down Pride decorations, but workers there said their strike was in solidarity with those who have been impacted.
“Today, we are striking with the broad national union for the 'Strike with Pride' campaign to protest Starbucks’ changes to pride decoration policies that have been going on across the country,” said Parker Heyns, a barista trainer and union organizer.
The Flower Mound workers voted to unionize earlier this year as part of a nationwide push for better pay and benefits, as well as safer work conditions for workers — who call themselves Starbucks partners as part of the broader Starbucks Workers United union.
The Flower Mound location is among a handful of stores that have unionized in North Texas, including in Addison, Dallas and Denton.
Andrew Tull, a spokesperson for Starbucks, disputed the union’s claims. He said the company has not altered its corporate policies or approach to celebrating Pride month.
The company also filed a labor complaint against the union this week over what they said is a “smear campaign.”
Along with the 'Strike with Pride' campaign, workers are still asking to bargain with the company collectively, which has been an ongoing issue between the company and more than 300 unionized locations across the country.
"Starbucks has proposed to solely do in person bargaining sessions, which can be very difficult," Heyns said. "It would be very beneficial for us to just have a mixed bargaining unit. So not only bargaining in person with Starbucks, but also maybe having somebody on a zoom call."
Pushing back, Tull said the company proposed to meet with Workers United representatives in May, but the union didn't confirm the proposed bargaining session. He also said the company maintains that in-person bargaining is required by federal law and would "achieve the best outcome for our partners."
Starbucks' response to organizing efforts have been noted by partners in Texas for their retaliatory nature. This week, San Antonio union leader Quinn Craig was fired from his store just one year after it unionized, according to Texas Public Radio. The firing came after an investigation into a store walkout in May, where a spokesperson said Craig was found to have failed to secure cash and activate the store's security. Craig disputed the company's claim.
Last year, workers at a Mockingbird Station Starbucks — one of the first in North Texas to unionize — alleged a manager fired one of their coworkers amid organizing efforts.
Heyns said treatment by management is one of the reasons workers at the Flower Mound location voted to unionize.
"We had a few partners who were pushed out because of reasons that we don't quite understand because these partners have never had any, you know, disciplinary complaints before and never had any problems," Heyns said. "Suddenly, management was finding all of these things to have problems with them."
Tull, the company's spokesperson, maintains that the company respects the right of partners to engage in lawful union activities without fear of retaliation. But he also said the union's “Strike with Pride” campaign distracts from efforts to move the good faith bargaining process forward.
Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan also apologized to customers for the inconvenience at locations where workers have been striking.
“Despite public commentary, there has been no change to any of our policies as it relates to our inclusive store environments, our company culture and the benefits we offer our partners," Narasimhan said. "We continue to encourage our store leaders to celebrate with their communities including for U.S. Pride month in June, as we always have.”
Heyns, the organizer in Flower Mound said that ultimately the union hopes to move the company to bargain on their terms, as well as guarantee a welcoming environment and company for LGBTQ+ partners.
"We're also just hoping to draw attention to how important it is to have management decisions [that] I would say that positively impact a lot of people that work at Starbucks... and that the company will actually stick up for you if you need it," Heyns said.
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