A shady Starbucks move

Manu Padilla/Shutterstock

According to Al Jazeera, three key Starbucks locations in Buffalo, New York, have led the charge to unionize the business across America. The corporation just temporarily closed two key Buffalo cafes that helped spearhead the movement, per Vice. Starbucks claims the closures don’t relate to the collectivization effort — one location shuttered for an alleged remodel, while the corporation plans to use the other as a training facility for Starbucks employees. But organizers claim that the closures serve as an anti-union tactic meant to scatter and divide workers. Meanwhile, the displaced workers have been shifted to new locations.

In addition to the closures, managers have started assembling employees in the Buffalo area to hold anti-union meetings and started a hiring spree to bring in some fresh faces. All of these changes have sent shivers down the spines of the workers that continue to fight for collectivization while demanding better working conditions. Only time can tell what happens next, but the notable closures have the potential to send some ripples through this massive cafe chain.

Why Starbucks Workers Are Side-Eyeing This Temporary Store Closure

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By Erich Barganier/Oct. 13, 2021 4:08 pm EST

Starbucks has allegedly hired the law firm of Littler Mendelsohn to confront the issue, and some employees accuse the company of spying on listening sessions set up by baristas and other cafe employees. Meanwhile, different branches of Starbucks locations have started discussing how to join together, but the movement lacks single leadership, which has caused some organizational issues, per Al Jazeera. This hurdle, plus a recent series of closures brought forth by Starbucks’ corporate headquarters, has made some employees a bit concerned.

A shady Starbucks move

Manu Padilla/Shutterstock

According to Al Jazeera, three key Starbucks locations in Buffalo, New York, have led the charge to unionize the business across America. The corporation just temporarily closed two key Buffalo cafes that helped spearhead the movement, per Vice. Starbucks claims the closures don’t relate to the collectivization effort — one location shuttered for an alleged remodel, while the corporation plans to use the other as a training facility for Starbucks employees. But organizers claim that the closures serve as an anti-union tactic meant to scatter and divide workers. Meanwhile, the displaced workers have been shifted to new locations.

In addition to the closures, managers have started assembling employees in the Buffalo area to hold anti-union meetings and started a hiring spree to bring in some fresh faces. All of these changes have sent shivers down the spines of the workers that continue to fight for collectivization while demanding better working conditions. Only time can tell what happens next, but the notable closures have the potential to send some ripples through this massive cafe chain.

In addition to the closures, managers have started assembling employees in the Buffalo area to hold anti-union meetings and started a hiring spree to bring in some fresh faces. All of these changes have sent shivers down the spines of the workers that continue to fight for collectivization while demanding better working conditions. Only time can tell what happens next, but the notable closures have the potential to send some ripples through this massive cafe chain.