Workers at Eugene-area Starbucks participate in labor strike

Hundreds of Eugene-area Starbucks workers went on strike over the last week in response to corporate-level actions including alleged unlawful firings, a refusal to bargain and not implementing certain benefits following the stores’ unionization.

The strike joined numerous others at Starbucks locations around the country, where workers say corporate management has unfairly targeted stores that unionized this spring. 

Six unionized Starbucks stores in Eugene participated over the last week. On Wednesday night, workers rallied at the Starbucks at Franklin Boulevard and Villard Street. Some picketers held signs with slogans like “No more firin’ from the siren,” referring to the Starbucks siren mascot, and “No contract, no workers, no coffee.” 

Ian Meagher, who works at the Franklin Boulevard store, said the strike is in solidarity with the Starbucks at 29th Avenue and Willamette Street, where he said the response to unionizing has been most severe.

“They’ve experienced a real uptick in terminations, and very targeted disciplinary action, with increased adherence to nebulous dress code or attendance policy,” he said. “It’s stuff that has never been the case in the four years I’ve worked here.”

Starbucks did not return requests for comment on Wednesday or Thursday from The Register-Guard. 

The store Meagher works at voted in favor of unionizing in late April, as did others in Eugene. In May, following the wave of unionizing stores, Starbucks announced a slate of new benefits, with an addendum saying the company does not have the right to implement some of the benefits to unionized stores. Some previously announced benefits, such as a $15 minimum wage announced in October, have been implemented at unionized stores. 

Meagher said the benefits would typically need to be agreed upon in bargaining sessions with corporate representatives. He said the company has not responded to attempts to set a bargain meeting since April. 

“Almost every Starbucks worker in Eugene is being denied, in some fashion, benefits, raises, faster sick day accrual, basic stuff, especially given inflation,” he said.  

Although typically the unionized stores would have to bargain for new benefits, Meagher and other workers say they have already gotten rid of that requirement. In July, Workers United President Lynne Fox sent a letter to Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz waiving the rights of the unionized stores to bargain for the benefits. 

Sierra Lyon, another worker at the Franklin Boulevard Starbucks, said the area’s stores also started implementing other rules following the unionization, such as determining store hours based on the amount of business. 

"They essentially rolled out those rules unilaterally, but with all the benefits they did not," Lyon said.

Those walking or driving by have been mostly supportive of the strike, Lyon said, but there were a few who gave a thumbs down from their car windows as well. 

“We’ve gotten the occasional ‘Go back to work,’ or ‘Let’s go Brandon,’ which is annoying, but the community support overall has been really great,” she said. “We’ve been getting people who aren’t even part of any organization, and are just supporting as community members.” 

Next, Lyon said she hopes the efforts from the strikes inspire Starbucks corporate employees to come to the bargaining table.

Louis Krauss covers breaking news for The Register-Guard. Contact him at lkrauss@registerguard.com, and follow him on Twitter @LouisKraussNews.