LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Baristas at the Little Rock Starbucks location on Rodney Parham and Market St. will soon be joining Starbucks Workers United. After a 12-to-2 vote, they will now join the nearly 10,000 workers at about 410 stores nationwide who have unionized during the last three years.
The Rodney Parham location is now the second location in Arkansas that has won a union aside from a location in Fayetteville.
"Winning our election was the most empowered I've ever felt in a workplace,” said Lyra Jackson, who has worked at the Rodney Parham location for more than a year. “I am so excited to see this movement continue to grow, and I'm hopeful that the upcoming negotiations with Starbucks will be the beginning of meaningful change.”
The workers at the Little Rock location will now join the nationwide movement of baristas who have worked together to win justice while at work including protections on issues like having living wages, racial and gender equity, respect, and fair scheduling.
Since 2021, over 400 Starbucks locations in 43 states and the District of Columbia have voted to and have become successfully unionized. Starbucks Workers United now has more unionized locations than any other company in the 21st century.
The company's recent commitment to the unionized workforce is a major shift since they had previously been involved in illegal union-busting tactics and had refused to negotiate.
Federal administrative law judges had previously found that Starbucks had committed over 400 violations of federal labor law including unlawful firings, giving non-union workers higher pay and better benefits than those who had voted to form a union.
Now, Starbucks union workers are determined in their demands for fair pay and hours, safe working conditions, and a commitment to quality that reflects the Starbucks brand.
In response to the unionization of several Starbucks locations, the company released the following statement:
"On February 27, the company and Workers United agreed to begin discussions on a foundational framework designed to help achieve ratified bargaining agreements, resolve certain litigation, and address other issues. We are eager to reach ratified agreements in 2024 for stores that have already voted for union representation.
We respect the rights of our partners to organize and bargain collectively, and we are eager to reach ratified agreements in 2024 for represented stores.
We are committed to delivering on our promise to offer a bridge to a better future to all Starbucks partners."