Starbucks workers at 3012 FM407 in Bartonville went on strike Thursday afternoon due to the latest “September ThursYays” nationwide promotion.
The promotion that began last Thursday allows Starbucks Rewards members to buy one fall drink and get one free every Thursday afternoon in September.
Lead organizer Leo Baker said seven workers went on strike at about 11:55 a.m. and walked out of the location at noon. Baker said they would be on strike for the remainder of the store hours.
“Today specifically, we are striking because they implemented a buy one, get one free on all beverages on Thursdays, and they call it ‘ThursYays,’” Baker said. “But they [Starbucks] did not negotiate with our union about implementing that, and we’ve been severely understaffed because of it.”
The Bartonville location in July voted 14-7 in favor of unionization. The location is one of several in North Texas to unionize, with Denton’s Rayzor Ranch location joining the Starbucks Workers United last June.
Baker said the location was fully staffed with district managers to keep its operations going. The Bartonville location closed the lobby cafe after workers walked out, and the location was only doing drive-thru and mobile orders.
“Now they are working a floor with more people than I would have had if I had worked a shift,” Baker said. “... So they’ve given themselves a very easy shift to run.”
Baker said that while employees have voted to unionize, they haven’t signed a contract because Starbucks has refused to bargain with them.
“Because we are a union, they [Starbucks] are required to negotiate with us,” Baker said. “And they’re not supposed to implement any changes without talking to us first.”
Baker delivered the strike notice, and the store managers acknowledged the strike but said management hasn’t spoken with them directly.
Thursday, Starbucks Workers United organized a solidarity day of action nationwide, asking customers to sign a petition to demand Starbucks stop union busting. The online petition has gained more than 10,000 signatures.
Baker said workers at three Starbucks locations around North Texas have participated in the day of action petition.
“So we’ve also been asking people to sign a petition as well,” Baker said.
Baker submitted a strike letter to Starbucks Workers United on Thursday to get approval for strike pay so staffers could get 70% pay for financial security.
Union members might have another strike at the location in the future “to put pressure on corporate to bargain with us,” Baker said.
“Really, this day of action and this strike is just to try and pressure them into actually coming to the bargaining table,” Baker said.
JUAN BETANCOURT can be reached at juan.betancourt@dentonrc.com.