“Just don’t buy from F***ing Starbucks.”
That’s the message Tony Schultz, a shift supervisor at a Starbucks in Chestnut Hill, has for the approximately 100 million people who buy from Starbucks each week globally. Schultz has worked for the company for more than three years, helping oversee the store’s daily operations and staff. Now, they are also part of a growing campaign urging consumers to boycott the company until it reaches a contract agreement with its unionized workers.
Philadelphia has emerged as a focal point in that campaign. On Oct. 1, the city became the first in the nation to pass a resolution officially endorsing a nationwide boycott of Starbucks in solidarity with workers.
The resolution was introduced by City Councilmember Nico O’Rourke and passed with support from nine of the 17 city council members.
“I think it’s high time that [Starbucks] did what decent employers are supposed to do, and negotiate a fair union contract,” O’Rourke said, and a crowd applauded. “Until then, I don’t see how one could call Starbucks a decent employer or why anyone would support them.”
Organizers say that working with politicians to gain public support is a key part of their organizing efforts.
“We are trying to organize the support [of elected officials] to be strategic,” said Ayesha Mughal, an organizer with Workers United, the union involved in organizing Starbucks workers.
According to Mughal, this tactic has already led to increased public support.
“State legislators have already endorsed the boycott officially and obviously the city council too. We even had a city reach out recently to say, ‘hey, we saw the news about Philadelphia, and we want to do this as well.’”
Ahead of this week’s midterm elections, organizers with Workers United enlisted local Philadelphia politicians to express vocal support for the campaign.
State Rep. Chris Rabb was one of those politicians.
Rabb is a progressive Democrat who was elected to the U.S House of Representatives in one of the most highly anticipated races of the midterm elections. On Oct. 20, just two weeks before the election, Rabb joined Workers United and local union members in Philadelphia to express his support for their labor organizing efforts.
“This is what solidarity looks like,” Rabb said in an Instagram video recorded at a Workers United rally. “Give it up until these folks get the contract they deserve.”
“In Philadelphia, workers are fighters”
Workers United represents more than 12,000 baristas nationwide. Since winning their first election on Dec. 9, 2021, Workers United and Starbucks employees have been fighting to win a contract, but organizers say they have faced pushback by the corporation.
Mughal says that Starbucks has repeatedly made negotiations difficult for Workers United by avoiding or delaying bargaining sessions.
“The company was delaying, delaying, delaying,” Mughal said. “They would schedule sessions and not show up or show up and immediately go out for a break, only to take the break for the entire session.”
It wasn’t until 2024 that they actually met at the bargaining table.
Once negotiations began in 2024, 425 Starbucks stores elected delegates to bargain with the corporation on behalf of their individual stores.
Although the two sides reached agreement on most of the contract was agreed upon in these negotiations, organizers say that Starbucks has not yet agreed to their demands on wages and staffing issues.
Starbucks provided a statement to Philadelphia Neighborhoods in response to these allegations.
“Starbucks offers the best overall pay and benefits in the industry, according to independent studies.” The company did not identify the studies.
Now, Mughal says that workers involved in the unionization campaign are hoping that the renewed pressure will push the corporation to take their demands seriously.
“What we’re really waiting on is the financial aspect of it,” Schultz said. “Like what our wages are going to be, what health insurance is going to look like, like what staffing is going to look like on the floor. And that’s where we’re stuck with the company.”
On Oct. 18, 2023, Starbucks sued Workers United for trademark infringement after the Union baristas released a statement of solidarity with Palestinians.
The dispute prompted calls for a consumer boycott of Starbucks, with advocates citing both the company’s treatment of workers and its response to the union’s solidarity with Palestine.
With contract negotiations still underway, Workers United is urging consumers to continue to abstain from purchasing Starbucks products from both union and nonunion shops until the company ratifies a contract.
“Some people specifically go to Union Starbucks shops to support them,” Mughal said. “We’re asking them to hold off on doing that now and boycott until the company ratifies the contract.”
“In Philadelphia, workers are fighters and they’ve been fighting for this contract. It’s been a long fight, but they’re still committed.”
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