Starbucks Executives Involved in Anti-Union Crackdown Are Protested at UNC
Outside a corporate conference at Chapel Hill’s Carolina Inn, a student-led coalition rallied against Starbucks executives Ritch Allison and Candace Burnett, as well as NC GOP Sen. Michael Lee
On October 12, UNC Chapel Hill students and progressive groups gathered outside of the Carolina Inn during the Frontiers of Business conference. They came to protest two of the speakers: Candace Burnett, Starbucks VP of Partner Resources, and Ritch Allison, a Starbucks board member. Speeches, banners and chants demanded an end to Starbucks’ union-busting campaign against the 8,500 workers and 350-plus stores affiliated with a new union, Starbucks Workers United (SBWU) [x].
Protestors also pointed out the attendance of NC GOP Sen. Michael Lee, a state legislator known for virulently anti-LGBTQ+ views. Amid the recent hysteria whipped up against the transgender community, Sen. Lee introduced and sponsored North Carolina’s version of the “Don’t Say Gay” bill [x]. During the rally, the light blue, light pink, and white of the transgender pride flag fluttered alongside a poster that read “Kenan-Flagler Supports Union-Busters” and the banner of UE Local 150, a chapter of which represents graduate and campus workers at UNC.
The Frontiers of Business conference is an annual event sponsored by the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School that brings together executives, think-tank leaders, business professors, and politicians. This year’s roster of the rich and powerful included a board member of Qlik, a VP of SAS, a CAO from IBM, and many others [x]. Margaret Thatcher once said that ‘there is no such thing as society, only individuals’, but the attendees must have missed the memo.
While these figures rubbed shoulders, outside of the Carolina Inn the protestors waved a banner that read “Make Starbucks Stop Breaking Labor Law!” Canvassers talked to passersby and handed out palm-cards with Allison’s face under the heading “Frontiers of Union Busting.” One student waved a sign that said “Honk in Solidarity With Union Workers!”. Driver after driver laid on their horns in approval.
Far back from the sidewalk, the businesspeople on the Carolina Inn porch looked ill-at-ease. A theme of the conference was “Workforce Disrupted” but perhaps they’d hoped to learn about this troubling development inside the conference, not outside.
Students from UNC Chapel Hill were joined at the gathering by a wide array of groups including Starbucks Workers United, Sunrise Movement Durham Hub, North Carolina Triangle DSA, the Union of Southern Service Workers (USSW), and UE Local 150.
“I was inspired to take action because the Starbucks Workers United is one of the most exciting examples today of workers fighting for their rights and a democratic workplace.” — Toby Posel, UNC Chapel Hill student
A common chant from the rally was “Whose got the power? We’ve got the power! What kind of power? Union power!”. As these words rang from a poorly functioning megaphone, the rally-goers marched off the sidewalk and onto the lawn of the Carolina Inn.
Then, a member of the SBWU stepped in front of the crowd and talked about the demands that had gotten him fired from his job:
- Good pay
- Consistent scheduling
- Safe and respectful workplaces
- Respect for labor law
Behind the crowd, someone on the porch of the Carolina Inn call the police, probably alarmed by the outlandish demands. Two officers eventually arrived, but by then speeches from LGBTQ+ advocates, USSW members, and others were over.
“It’s a major disappointment that union-busters and transphobes were welcomed by the Frontiers of Business Conference. Progressives from across the Triangle made their voices heard while counter-programming the event, and we look forward to a future where the rights of organized labor and the transgender community are respected by UNC Chapel Hill.” — Ziyad Habash, member of Sunrise Movement Durham Hub
College Students Demand Union-Brewed Coffee
The action on October 12 in Chapel Hill was part of a campaign at more than 50 universities in support of SBWU. At many of the universities, like Chapel Hill, the demands are simple: end union-busting and bargain fairly with unionized workers. At other schools, campaigns are tailored to unique situations.
The pro-SBWU campaign in Ithaca, NY is an interesting example. The college town, home to Cornell University, used to have four Starbucks stores. Three stores voted to unionize and were shut down by the corporation. The only remaining Starbucks was on Cornell’s campus.
To protest the closure of pro-SBWU stores, Cornell students demanded that the university end its contract with the company. The students succeeded, and the university announced it will not renew the Starbucks contract, which ends in 2025 [x, y, z].
Studies show that the average college student spends about $63 a month on coffee [x]. Campaigns like those in Chapel Hill and Ithaca could pressure the company to conclude that accepting the SBWU is cheaper than trying to stamp it out.
Extra Shot of Trouble for Starbucks
Starbucks founder Howard Schultz stepped down as CEO in September 2023. During his tenure, the billionaire cracked down hard on the meteorically rising SBWU. Since December 2021, Starbucks broke federal labor law 250 times according to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The violations included firing organizers, calling the cops on union members, and abruptly closing unionized stores. Another 1,100 allegations are pending with the NLRB [x, y, z].
Schultz’s departure is an opportunity for Starbucks. New leaders have a chance to come to mutually beneficial terms with the 8,500 workers and 350-plus stores that chose to join SBWU.
For Starbucks, there is a new “Frontier of Business” that looks a lot like a fork in the road. Path one: Wake up and smell the union-brewed coffee! Path two: Have your reputation dragged through the mud while your pockets bleed.
