SEATTLE — A 20th Starbucks location in the Seattle area has voted to unionize, as the coffee conglomerate now has nearly 500 stores nationwide that have formed unions.
The location is inside Seattle Children's Hospital on a secure floor and is the 29th in Washington state to vote to form a union, according to Starbucks Workers United.
Over 490 stores have voted to unionize since 2021, Starbucks Workers United says, representing over 10,000 baristas. Locations in 45 states and the District of Columbia have voted to unionize.
“At Starbucks we believe that our direct relationship as partners is core to the experiences we create in our stores, and we respect our partners rights to have a choice on the topic of unions," a Starbucks spokesperson said in a statement. “We are committed to delivering on our promise to offer a bridge to a better future to all Starbucks partners.”
After the vote, the National Labor Relations Board must certify it. Starbucks will then work with a union representative through bargaining sessions to come to an agreement on a contract proposal.
The latest union vote comes as Starbucks enters a new era with new leadership. Brian Niccol, the former Chief Executive at Chipotle, began his tenure on Sept. 9 as the new CEO of Starbucks.
In a unique arrangement, Niccol will continue to live with his family in Southern California, where the company has set up a remote office with an assistant near his home in Newport Beach. Starbucks says he will travel to Seattle for essential business, as the company will cover private jet travel back and forth for Niccol.
