South Carolina wins its first unionized Starbucks!
Greenville, South Carolina - A new state has been added to the map of unionized Starbucks stores across the US!
The I-85 and Pelham Parkway store in Greenville first announced that they had filed for a union election on February 16.
"The many challenges we have faced as partners over the years have only been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic," the local organizing committee wrote in a letter to ex-CEO Kevin Johnson at the time.
"While the company has done some great things under you, many of our partners are still struggling to meet their basic needs, especially in a time where Starbucks has record profits and now more than ever has the ability to meet those needs," they continued.
"As part of our values state, we must act with courage, challenging the status quo and find new ways to grow our company and each other," they added, indicating that they were trying to do just that by forming a union.
Workers at the store followed through on Monday. They won their election decisively with an 8-1 vote.
That made them the first unionized Starbucks in South Carolina! At least three other stores in the state have filed for a union election.
There are now 70 unionized Starbucks in the US.
Cover photo: GUTHABENJUSTIN SULLIVAN / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP