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Milwaukee Starbucks store looks to unionize
Workers at the Starbucks location on the Marquette University campus announced plans to form a union on Wednesday.
MILWAUKEE - Workers at the Starbucks location on the Marquette University campus announced plans to form a union on Wednesday, Dec. 20.
Thirteen workers at the location sent a letter to Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan demanding the company recognize them as a union and bargain.
Shift supervisor Xylia Trask is one of the many making demands.
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"It just kind of reached a boiling point," Trask said. "We really need a change, and everybody was on board very quickly."
Workers have filed a petition for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board to unionize with Starbucks Workers United.
"We just kind of want to be able to live our lives and not have to worry every day about 18 different things all related to work," Trask said.
They're following in the footsteps of around 380 Starbucks locations to unionize across the country.
"[We’re] asking the same things of all the other unionized contracts, fighting for a contract for better compensation, better accruement of vacation hours," Trask said.
While the Oak Creek Starbucks is the first location to unionize in the state, this would be the first in Milwaukee.
‘Being the first in a larger city, is going to be a massive step in the right direction to possibly get Starbucks corporate to the actual bargain table," Trask said.
In a statement sent to FOX6 News, Starbucks said it "respects their right to organize and to engage in lawful union activities" and "in advance of the union representation election, our focus will be to ensure they can trust the process is fair and their voice is heard."
Starbucks shift supervisor Xylia Trask
Trask said now that the petition has been filed, they will get an update within five to eight weeks.
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"It’s going to be a massive change," Trask said.
Starbucks Workers United said the pressure from its union campaign has secured gains, including pay raises, for employees. However, the organization has also filed many complaints with the National Labor Relations Board for unfair "union practices."