Starbucks Union votes 2% rise in the middle of bargain conversations

Starbucks union representatives engaged in negotiation in the United States have unanimously rejected a coffee giant offer, which included a minimum increase of 2% per year, according to United workers.

Most of the 490 barista negotiators made the decision of more than 550 Starbucks locations unionized across the country, with 81% opposing the proposal, as reported Reuters.

The offer was considered inadequate, as it could not address reviews to economic benefits such as health care or to provide an immediate increase in salaries.

Therefore, Starbucks’ proposal did not meet the necessary criteria to reach an agreement.

Starbucks barists in the United States earn an average hourly salary of more than $ 19, which, when combined with benefits, equates to about $ 30 per hour.

Starbucks workers United expressed their dissatisfaction with the company’s latest proposal by means of a statement to X: “While the negotiation of union shops delegates have reached provisional agreements on many key articles, most members have said that the new Starbucks offer was not good enough.”

In response to the vote, Starbucks issued a statement criticized by the Union for submitting an incomplete contract proposal for a single store agreements to its delegates, which suggests that this approach has made it difficult to progress toward a mutual agreement.

The company stated: “No other retailer offers such a complete package. Starbucks is the leader of the industry in terms of total payments and benefits that far exceeds the rules of the retail industry. At Starbucks, our labor store costs as a sales percentage are significantly higher than others in the industry, because we have constantly invested in pay and benefits for many years. the best detail work. ”

The company is still hopeful of reaching an acceptable contract through “productive commitment and respectful dialogue”, saying that a prosperous Starbucks benefits all members.

Starbucks also faces complaints from a recent civilian lawsuit claiming that some of his coffee greats from Brazil are from farms that are involved in slavery internships.

The lawsuit, filed in mid -April 2025, refers to eight people who claim that they were traffled and forced to work on the farms that supply what is marketed as “ethically” coffee grains in Starbucks.

Starbucks Global Coffee and Sustainability Executive Vice President Michelle Burns stated: “The claims that were stated in Starbucks’ complaint are without merit, and we plan to strongly defend our company. More specifically, reports that are damaged and understand in the Starbucks coffee supply chain”.