PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A few days after employees at the Portland State University Urban Center Starbucks officially unionized, workers are saying that their lead organizer was sent home from her shift for wearing a pro-union t-shirt.
Starbucks Workers United reported that staff members at the PSU Urban Center location filed a petition for union election with the National Labor Relations Board in mid-March. The workers’ rights group announced that the store had unanimously won their union election by a 14-0 vote on Friday, April 28.
Following staff members at a Starbucks store in Hillsboro, the Urban Center coffee shop is the 16th Portland-area location to unionize.
“The freshly unionized Portland Starbucks partners have joined the fight against the Company’s hour cuts, inadequate staffing, disregard for partner safety, and refusal to bargain with the union in good faith,” SBWU said. “They’re standing up to the faux-progressivism the Company continues to use in marketing despite consistently disregarding the concerns and well-being of their workers.”
On Monday, May 1 — which coincides with “May Day” or International Workers Day — PSU Urban Center baristas say they all went on strike after lead organizer Lauren Smith was told to clock out for wearing a t-shirt that supported the union.
According to a release, community members joined the striking staff members later in the afternoon. Labor and community organizer Jamie Partridge said Starbucks managers had to close the store down.
Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz stepped down in March, ahead of his testimony before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee led by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
The hearing focused on Schultz’ efforts to prevent Starbucks unions. According to Sen. Sanders, the coffee company had ‘waged the most aggressive and illegal union-busting campaign in the modern history of our country.’
“The fundamental issue we’re confronting today is whether we have a system of justice that applies to all, or whether billionaires and large corporations can break the law with impunity,” the senator added.
KOIN 6 reached out to Starbucks corporate for comment, but hasn’t yet heard back.