SEATTLE — Several hundred Starbucks workers held a rally outside the company’s headquarters in SoDo on Tuesday, the same day as the company’s annual “Investor Day.”
“We are here today because there are a lot of investors with a lot of money, and they are giving it to Starbucks. They are deciding what to do with the money that we make them every single day with our hard work,” a Starbucks employee said during the rally.
Investor Day is an annual event hosted by Starbucks where the company lays out its financial future and growth prospects. The event includes presentations and a Q&A session with Starbuck’s senior leadership, including Interim CEO Howard Schultz and CFO Rachel Ruggeri.
Protesters joined a nationwide movement by Starbucks workers, who are accusing the company of union-busting tactics. Tuesday’s rally also included demands that workers be granted invitations to Investor Day.
“Starbucks workers are referred to as partners, which is ironic given that the company abjectly refuses to partner with us,” Billie Adeosun, a Starbucks barista from Olympia, stated.
“The pandemic shifted everything. It really showed the cracks in the system,” Fernando Meija-Lebesma, a supporter at the rally who does not work for Starbucks, said. “This is a really good moment for workers and the community to come together and say, ‘You know what? We want to make sure that corporations are investing in our communities.’”
A Starbucks spokesperson denied allegations by protestors, telling KIRO 7, “Claims of union busting are false. From the beginning, we have been clear that we will respect the process laid out by the NLRB and bargain in good faith with the stores that vote for union representation.”
Tuesdays protest comes a day after Starbucks announced new student loan repayment tools and a savings account program for all U.S. employees, but with one condition: the program is only for non-union employees, according to Reuters.
A Starbucks spokesperson responded to Tuesday’s rally, stating to KIRO 7: “We have heard directly from our partners (employees) — they want a vote and an opportunity to co-create their workplace experience alongside their management. We fully respect our partners and their right to have their voices heard. We believe we can do more for our partners working side-by-side than across a negotiating table.”