Workers at the Starbucks location at 22-28 31st St. have voted to unionize (Photo: Google Maps)
June 30, 2022 By Michael Dorgan
A second Starbucks in Astoria has voted to unionize, making it the second Starbucks in Queens to do so.
Employees at the 22-28 31st St. store voted 7-4 in favor of unionizing. Workers made the announcement via Twitter Thursday morning. The store is located between Ditmars Boulevard and 23rd Avenue.
The workers tweeted that they had voted to join Starbucks Workers United (SWU), a group that is part of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). The SEIU has around 2 million members.
“We are excited to announce we have won our election with @SBWorkersUnited,” a tweet by the group reads.
“Today is a testament to the power of the working class. Organized and unified, workers run the world and we hope our victory inspires other workers to organize for their interests as a class.”
We are excited to announce we have won our election with @SBWorkersUnited Today is a testament to the power of the working class. Organized and unified, workers run the world and we hope our victory inspires other workers to organize for their interests as a class
— Ditmars Blvd SBWU (@DitmarsSBWU) June 30, 2022
The decision by workers at the 31st Street location to unionize comes less than a month after employees at the 30-18 Astoria Blvd. store voted in favor of unionizing.
The Astoria locations are part of a wave of Starbucks stores across the country to unionize, with workers in around 170 locations voting to do so, according to SWU. The first Starbucks location to unionize was in Buffalo, NY, in December.
The workers at the 31st Street Starbucks say they are unionizing to fight for improved working conditions at the store.
The employees took to Twitter in April and posted a list of demands they want from the company.
They called for an hourly rate of $25, free and full health care coverage regardless of hours worked, more paid vacation and sick time, as well as expanded childcare and maternity leave.
The workers also want 30-ride share passes per month, self-defense training and more stock grants.
These are the demands of workers organizing with @SBWorkersUnited at @DitmarsSBWU! Thank you @rwu_str for the inspiration and help! These will be specified in more detail later, but we hope to inspire other shops in making similar demands. Solidarity to all workers everywhere! pic.twitter.com/lBYIslAbXs
— Ditmars Blvd SBWU (@DitmarsSBWU) April 30, 2022
The Queens Post reached out to Starbucks for comment but has yet to receive a response.
Starbucks released a brief statement to the Queens Post earlier this month in relation to the Astoria Boulevard store unionizing saying it was open to engaging with the workers there.
“As we have said throughout, we will respect the process and will bargain in good faith guided by our principles…,” the statement reads. “We hope that the union does the same.”
Meanwhile, State Senator Mike Gianaris praised the workers at the 31st Street location for unionizing.
“Congratulations to the latest Queens Starbucks workers exercising their right to organize and join a union,” Gianaris said in a statement to the Queens Post.
“Organized labor is the foundation of a strong working class, which we need now more than ever. I am thrilled this movement keeps growing and I am proud of the workers leading this fight.”
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14 Comments
So there demands are $25.hr free and full coveragehealth care no matter how many hours you work, expanded childcare and maternity leave from what they already have. more paid vacation and sick leave. also a 30 ride share pass and self defense classes. If a person cant see that that is a tall order ( pun intended ) I dont know what to say. So pretend they get everything they want. Of course they will rise the price of everything in their store tremendously. I guess this is why starbucks brought back there old CEO because their new CEO hired a COO who was a known union organizer. I guess starbucks has a very loyal customer base that doesnt mind paying $10/15 for a cup of coffee. I like to buy from the mom and pop shops and generally avoid these big corp brands. We’ll see how this plays out, but starbucks stock price has done poorly and I thinking I will be buying some puts on them. sorry dont hate the player hate the game.
in a case like that, they are done. most of the shops are empty a majority of the time. when push comes to shove, they’ll start closing shops soon.
Since when did being a barista become a lifelong career? Aim low, stay low and complain complain complain…. The new American way.
SMH- I think being a barista for life occurred about the same time posting on a local blog under several posting tags became acceptable behavior. You may be naive enough to believe the lies spewed by corporate America but the kids coming up today witnessed and lived the deceit and greed of corporate America. They know better then to drink the kool aide, unlike gullible and idealist you.
Lol. Is this you Dave or the FoxNews Fanboy? These are menial jobs that are stepping stones for better jobs. But lazy millennials don’t want to work hard and demand high pay, benefits. More personal days for something a machine can do. This is entitlement and this is the new America. That’s why all the progressive trash want equality BS. They don’t want their feelings hurt because so and so is making more than them because they actually have a better job through either education or hard work. Keep getting your parties in a bunch little girl, but you keep forgetting you still have a penis there.
Good for that location. I have witnessed staff getting harassed by all the homeless people on Ditmars and by teens on their way home after school.
Sure they will get healthcare, but I don’t want to pay a whole quarter more!
for $5 for a basic cup of coffee, the executives are raking in the money off the workers backs.
Excellent news. NYC is a union town. Fair wages and benefits for a day’s work.
Anyone who disagrees can make Folger’s at home.
I never go to Starbucks. Expensive. I prefer Dunkin Donuts. Coffee is better and cheaper.
Bob. You are so wrong!!
dunkin is just as expensive. 7 eleven or mcdonalds for a buck a cup.
Thank you AOC! Keep up the good work in Astoria.
Excellent news. Our nation needs more unionized workers to make the working class stronger.