Washington, D.C. — As Starbucks Workers United (SWU) renews its nationwide organizing and bargaining push, a new analysis from the Center for American Progress delves deeper into the challenges the union faces in finalizing a first union contract which could provide thousands of workers higher pay, stable hours, and improved working conditions.
Nearly four years after the first Starbucks store in Buffalo, New York, voted to unionize, thousands of workers have joined the movement, but the company has yet to finalize an initial collective bargaining agreement.
“Starbucks workers have built one of the most significant labor organizing drives in a generation,” said Karla Walter, senior fellow for Inclusive Economy at CAP and co-author of the analysis. “Their renewed push shows that despite corporate resistance, workers are determined to secure the dignity, pay, and stability that a first contract can deliver.”
The analysis examines this latest organizing push by the numbers:
- 655 stores: More than 14,000 Starbucks workers in 45 states and the District of Columbia have voted to unionize since 2021.
- 1,000+ unfair labor practice charges: Filed by SWU, with nearly 200 consolidated complaints issued by the National Labor Relations Board in connection with the organizing drive.
- 609 days: Since Starbucks and SWU announced a “path forward” to achieve collective bargaining agreements and resolve pending litigation, yet the union continues to allege bad-faith bargaining by the corporation.
- 12.8 percent higher pay: On average, unionized workers earn 12.8 percent more than comparable nonunion workers and hold four times the wealth.
- 37 percent: Share of newly unionized workplaces that reach a first contract within a year; this number drops sharply when employers commit unfair labor practices.
- 6,666-to-1 pay ratio: Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol earned 6,666 times more than the average Starbucks worker in 2024, according to an AFL-CIO report.
Achieving a first contract at Starbucks would not only improve thousands of lives but also provide a model for organizing and collective bargaining in an industry where just 1.6 percent of workers are currently unionized.
Read the full analysis: “The Fight To Unionize Starbucks by the Numbers” by Karla Walter and David Madland.
For more information or to speak with an expert, contact Christian Unkenholz at [email protected].