Oregon’s first union for Starbucks workers has been unanimously approved by South Eugene employees. The Willamette Street store’s workers watched the vote count today.
The vote was streamed from the National Labor Relations Board. When all 17 votes cast approved forming a union, the group of workers erupted into cheers, hugs, and high-fives.
Jake LaMourie is a barista who helped organize the union push during the winter. He’s delighted the South Eugene Starbucks is Oregon’s first to unionize.
“There’s a bunch more behind us in Eugene, and a bunch more in Portland, we’re so excited to get to work on a contract, and so glad that this went through.”
LaMourie told KLCC that working out their first contract with the Starbucks Corporation is the next step…which could take a year, perhaps longer.
“I think seniority pay, base pay raise, beyond that we’ve been talking about sort of expanding the insurance program, making sure we’re more thoroughly insured. Paid time off, I think there’s a lot on the table, and a lot of conversations that we need to have.”
All eight of the corporate-owned Starbucks stores in Eugene have filed petitions to unionize. Vote counts for the remaining seven will be held April 28th and May 5th.
In a release, Workers United said "this victory puts the total number of stores represented by Workers United to 20, with 180 more stores slated to vote in the coming months." The release also stated that a Pittsburgh Starbucks voted to unionize today, with 20 employees unanimously approving the move.
A request for comment to Starbucks has not yet been responded to.
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