(New York) The American labor law agency (NLRB) on Monday confirmed the creation of a union in a second Starbucks coffee shop in Buffalo, in the northern United States, giving reason to the challenges raised by the organization representing workers.
Employees of two Starbucks won a historic victory in December when they voted to create a union in their establishments, a first for the chain in the United States.
The results were clear in one establishment, but appeals had been filed on the ballot at a second Starbucks, the union believing that the chain had included in the list of employees allowed to vote people actually working in other cafes.
The NLRB confirmed in a message to AFP on Monday that the final vote was in favor of the union, without giving further details.
According to a statement from the union, Starbucks Workers United, representatives of the NLRB ruled that the contested ballots were indeed inadmissible.
“After months of meetings criticizing unions, intimidation tactics and intense pressure to vote ‘no’, we can finally say that we have won our union,” said Caroline Lerczak, team leader. at the Genesee Street facility, in the statement.
Unionized workers at both coffee shops are now asking Starbucks to come to the bargaining table to discuss a collective agreement.
The employees of a third establishment in the Buffalo zone had voted in majority against the creation of a union.
But the victory of two cafes, out of the chain’s nearly 9,000 in the country, sparked enthusiasm.
Even before the results were announced, employees at three other establishments in the Buffalo area as well as a café in Arizona had asked to be able to organize votes to join the SWU.
Other stores in Boston, Cleveland, Chicago and Knoxville in Tennessee have since joined the movement.