North Dallas Starbucks union organizers hold sip-in

Dallas, TX – 30 people rallied at the Inwood and Willow Starbucks in North Dallas, May 28, for a sip-in to show solidarity with unionization efforts at the location. During the sip-in, attendees left supportive messages on cash tips using post-it notes, gave names like “Union Strong” when ordering drinks, and left messages of support like “Union organizing is a right” and “Solidarity with Starbucks workers!” on a poster board to be hung in the Starbucks break room.

Kas Fox, lead organizer for the store, says she’s seen a lot of illegal union busting from Starbucks. Fox reports that Starbucks has forbidden workers from exercising their right to post union materials in the break room, forbidden workers from wearing pro-union pins, and retaliated against organizers by cutting their hours.

“Starbucks has been working very hard to show partners that they don’t have any power and that they’re still under the thumb of Starbucks, and I think we want to show that there’s strength in numbers, there’s people that really care about what’s going on here outside of just the Starbucks sphere,” Fox said about the impact of solidarity with their efforts.

The Inwood and Willow location previously announced their intention to unionize on the Starbucks United on Twitter. In their announcement, workers cited many reasons why union organizing was right for them, including hostile treatment from management, last-minute changes to an already inconsistent schedule, and unlivable wages.

The election date for the Inwood and Willow Starbucks location is June 12.