Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol Commits To Union Collaboration In Talks

Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol stated that the coffee chain is dedicated to bargaining in good faith with the union representing many of its baristas as both parties aim to negotiate a labor agreement.

“We Engage Constructively And In Good Faith”

“I deeply respect the right of partners to choose, through a fair and democratic process, to be represented by a union. If our partners choose to be represented, I am committed to making sure we engage constructively and in good faith with the union and the partners it represents,” Niccol mentioned in a letter to the union obtained by CNBC

He was responding to a letter from the Starbucks Workers United bargaining delegation, sent the day before, in anticipation of another bargaining session. The two sides are working on a framework for collective bargaining agreements for individual stores and the company. According to the delegation’s letter, the union is advocating for fair scheduling, a living wage, and racial and gender equity.

“We know that many of your dedicated customers — as well as future generations of customers — have a vested interest in the outcome of our negotiations and reaching a foundational agreement,” the group mentioned in its letter to Niccol.

Three years ago, Starbucks baristas began unionizing under Workers United, an affiliate of the Service Employees International Union. For two and a half years, the coffee giant attempted to suppress the union movement, resulting in ongoing battles that unfolded in the media, on social media platforms, and in the courts.

New CEO Brian Niccol Steps Into Union Negotiations

However, a turning point for both parties occurred six months ago when they agreed to collaborate on a way forward after mediation aimed at resolving lawsuits triggered by the union’s social media posts.

Niccol, who joined Starbucks several weeks ago, is new to the union discussions. In his former role as CEO of Chipotle Mexican Grill, only one location in Lansing, Michigan, successfully unionized. 

Today, Workers United represents over 490 Starbucks cafes in the U.S. and more than 10,500 of its employees. The company operates more than 16,700 locations across the country, with over half being company-owned.

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