Starbucks Union

Maybe its just the stores I have worked in for the last 8 years but I have never had these types of problems.

My SMs have worked with my school schedule since I was in high school. I paid my way through my first degree and second. Starbucks provided me with insurance when I could no longer be covered by my parents' insurance. Starbucks gave me more maternity leave time than other places I have worked for. When I needed to take a personal leave to deal with some family emergencies, I was paid bereavement time, AND my position at my store was there when I got back.

I have been fortunate. And for partners who I know who've had problems with the company, some have been able to get the problems resolved, some have not. Isn't that how it is in many places?

I am unsure of how a union would help me and other happy workers like me.

Perhaps someone could tell me.

I have a generous stock fund, my SIP purchases have enabled me to save money for my daughter's college fund. Not to mention the flexible hours I get while attending medical school. I first attended school in Ithaca, then my second college in Albany. In both locations I was able to transfer in and work to help me pay for school. When I moved bacm to NYC I found not one but two stores willing to help me out and was able to work at both enabling me to save up for an apartment. When I moved out to Long Island I found another store and transfered there with no problems.

I have never encountered managers who "purposely" cut hours so people can't get insurance. That is probably what astounds me the most from what I have read. It doesn't make sense to me. A company provides benefits in order to retain employees, not get rid of them. And if there are people foolishly doing this then the evidence should be brought to the authorities.

Which brings me to another concern of mine. What if people who should've been fired join a union and therefore make it no longer an "at will hire, at will fire" workplace. I am not sure I would like that type of work environment. People who are short on their tills still getting to keep their jobs? People who steal, lie and treat others with disrespect still being able to stick around because their union status? There are disadvantages to unionizing, aren't there?

I also find problems with the arguement the workplace is unsafe and unhealthy. Its a part-time job. In NY State there is no requirement for breaks in jobs like these but Starbucks gives them to us. Also I serve coffee all day. Not sure what is unsafe about that. And if you have 8 hours in between your shifts, like you are legally supposed to, whats the problem? Its the real world. Unfortunately we will not always be able to get as much sleep as we would like. No other job provides me with food to eat, so I sure as heck don't expect Starbucks to. The fact they provide me with free fluids and a 30 percent discount is good enough for me.

I chose to breastfeed my daughter for the first 11 months. The company made sure I had a place to quietly pump my milk while at work when I needed to. My health insurance plan has a "Mommies to Babies" program which helps educate SMs about these sorts of things. How many places would go to such lengths to support a new mother in her endevours to provide her new child with the best nutrition possible?

When I was pregnant I worked up until the day my daughter was born. *My own choice* and the company made sure I was well taken care of during this time. We had three pregnant women at my store at one point. SMs in my district made sure when our orders came in, we had someone capable there for that time to put the things away. The day I had contractions a manager from another county came in to help out so I could head over to the hospital. We have had SMs, ASMs do this when a partner is ill at work as well. No real issues with coverage, and never have we forced someone to come to work ill. I couldn't even think of doing that to someone. Of course this changes when you become part of upper management. Shift supervisors are held to different standards, as they should be. But even when we have had shifts who've had real emergencies, we have never forced them to come in. We work it out. What a union do for us then?

My current store is great with minors. Always follows the letter of the law with their appropiate work hours. We employ people of all ages, we have 17 year olds, summer college students, and a 72 year old barista who is sweet as hell. (When our old manual bar got to be too much of a pain in the ass, we got a Verismo because our oldest barista was being caused a lot of pain by the old bar. We were originally last on the list to receive a Verismo but got it first.) My SM has left four times to get her colon cancer treated and she has been paid for these leaves, much better coverage than another company would give her for her ailments. She has received great support (which she needs with 6 kids at home, I kid you not. 6 KIDS! And she has been with the company for more than 12 years. Most of the SMs in my district started as baristas, and worked their way up. Maybe this is why my experience has been so different.)

So please someone explain to me what I could get out of unionizing? I am not trying to be atagonistic. Just providing my many years of positive experiences with the company and needing more information about unions. Much of what I read seems to be misconceived and I would rather hear it from the horses' mouth and no longer be misinformed.

I believe that people have the right to organize and talk about whats wrong, and how to fix it. A lil more information is what I need.

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