BUFFALO, N.Y. — Workers at a Starbucks store on Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo have voted "yes" to become the first Starbucks store in the U.S. to unionize.
Workers from that location, along with workers at nearby Starbucks locations in Cheektowaga, New York and Hamburg, New York had been submitting ballots through the mail for the last four weeks
The workers garnered national attention in their effort to unionize, most recently with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) meeting with them and holding a town hall earlier in the week. They're are seeking better pay, particularly for longtime employees. Employees also seek more of a say in how the stores are run.
The vote total was 19 "yes" to eight "no."
If Starbucks chooses to recognize the union, or the National Labor Relations Board certifies the union, the company will be required to collectively bargain with the workers for a contract for employment. However, it's unclear how long those negotiations could take.
NPR reports that Starbucks had previously fought off unionization attempts in New York City and Philadelphia.
CNN reports that Starbucks employs 235,000 people at 9,000 stores across the country.
Victory at Elmwood, the first unionized Starbucks store in the United States—history made!!!
— SBWorkersUnited (@SBWorkersUnited) December 9, 2021
This story is breaking and will be updated.
This story was originally published by Paul Ross on Scripps station WKBW in Buffalo, New York.
