FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Starbucks locations on Wedington and Martin Luther King (MLK) Boulevard have joined a national three-day labor strike after the closing of some unionized stores across the country.
This is the second major strike by the company within a month.
According to a press release from Starbucks Workers United, the strike is a response to "Starbucks closing multiple unionized locations and failing to bargain with the remaining unionized stores."
This action comes a month after the Starbucks' Wedington location won its election to unionize and became the first Starbucks in Arkansas to file for and win their union election.
Two weeks ago, Starbucks' MLK location announced their intent to unionize by filing an petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) after collecting enough signatures.
Baristas plan to do pickets at both locations in Fayetteville over the three-day walkout:
MLK Location
- Friday, Dec. 16: 5-11 a.m.
- Sunday, Dec. 18: Noon-5 p.m.
Wedington Location
- Saturday, Dec. 17: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Several workers released statements in regards to their reasoning for joining the strike along with concerns they had with the company.
”Starbucks has been failing to listen to concerns at these unionized stores for over a year now. Stores are being closed and their voices are not being heard, so we are standing together to make their voices louder” said Kendra Gilman, a shift supervisor at the MLK location.
“An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us. We are fighting the anti-union activity in Arkansas, and we are standing in solidarity with the nearly 7,000 Starbucks workers who are in our union," said Dylan Hartsfield, a shift supervisor at the Wedington Location.
“Starbucks has strayed away from its mission and values and has created a work environment that prioritizes profits over people. It’s stressful and disappointing for employees and customers alike. Starbucks is supposed to provide a third place for anyone in their stores and it doesn't feel like that anymore. Our goal is to bargain with corporate and have our voices heard so we have the ability to provide a third place for everyone in our cafe,” said Dani, a barista trainer at the MLK location.
5NEWS has reached out to Starbucks for a statement on the ongoing labor strike and will update this story with more information once it is received.
Download the 5NEWS app on your smartphone:
Stream 5NEWS 24/7 on the 5+ app: How to watch the 5+ app on your streaming device
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com and detail which story you're referring to.