In Waterville, Starbucks workers seek to unionize
Staff at the Starbucks cafe on Waterville Commons Drive have filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to unionize, calling for a “voice on the job.”
With the action, the baristas seek to join peers at more than 520 locations across the U.S. that have sought workplace protections.
The workers say they're seeking living wages, racial and gender equity and fair scheduling, as well as "respect."
"I'm excited to be joining the union along with my fellow partners, being a part of something that has had so much hard work put into it is a really amazing thing,” said Evelyn Fennell, a shift supervisor at the Waterville cafe. “I have so much love for our store and its partners, so now joining the union and being able to make our store a better place to work for everyone is really wonderful. I look forward to working hard with our union to ensure that all partners can feel heard, appreciated, and taken seriously.”
According to a press release, Starbucks Workers United has won elections across the country, and more than 500 stores are now represented. Recently, workers in several states, including California, Utah, Missouri, and Louisiana, have voted to join a union.
Workers launched the unionization effort in 2021. In 2022, baristas at the Biddeford Starbucks were the first in Maine to file a petition to unionize. In October of that same year, Old Port Middle Street employees voted to unionize. Later that year, the location was shut down, though Starbucks said then that the location “no longer met its needs.”
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