How Union Efforts at Amazon and Starbucks Are Playing Out Differently
Kim, K., & Weber, L. (2022, May 11). How Union Efforts at Amazon and Starbucks Are Playing Out Differently. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-union-efforts-at-amazon-and-starbucks-are-playing-out-differently-11652261402 UTL Link: https://www-proquest-com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/docview/2661861509/fulltext/4EED03D28DC54179PQ
Kyle Kim and Lauren Weber write: “There are two key differences between unionization campaigns at Amazon.com Inc. and Starbucks: Starbucks petitions have been more frequent and much smaller in bargaining size compared with Amazon. As of May 10, more than 250 Starbucks locations have filed election petitions; the majority of those stores have not yet held or completed elections, according to National Labor Relations Board officials. The petitions cover more than 6,800 Starbucks employees who could potentially vote to unionize. Amazon had only a handful of union elections to date, and most have failed. Some Amazon workers who voted against unionizing said they didn't think the union could substantially improve their workplace. Amazon pays a starting average of $18 an hour and provides employees with healthcare, 401(k) and other benefits.”
“Chantal Jean, 58 years old, was among the majority of workers who voted against unionizing at Amazon's Staten Island LDJ5 location. She said she wasn't convinced by organizers' unionization campaign because she didn't find that a union would offer much beyond what the company was already providing and that her site leaders are approachable. ‘We can talk for ourselves,’ Ms. Jean, who trains new employees as a Learning Ambassador, said. ‘If I feel like the work is not for me, I can express my feelings with the managers and they won't bite my head off.’ In small establishments with few employees, like Starbucks stores, union organizers have the advantage of personal connections, easy access to co-workers and trust. ‘Trust is the big thing, that people feel like they can count on one another because this is a dangerous enterprise,’ said Ruth Milkman, a labor sociologist at the City University of New York.
“Employers often fight union campaigns, and many have been accused by organizers of firing workers who are involved in the campaigns. ‘So you're taking a risk, and if you don't trust your co-workers, that's a problematic proposition. If you already know each other well, it's less scary,’ Ms. Milkman said. Smaller units, such as Starbucks stores, limit the number of arguments employers can make to challenge the process of forming a union, said Cathy Creighton, director of the Cornell University ILR Buffalo Co-Lab and a past lawyer for the National Labor Relations Board. ... Among Starbucks locations that have already held union elections, the median bargaining unit size was 28, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of NLRB case data. The national median size of bargaining units in 2021 was 21, according to the NLRB.”
Herrera, S., & Prang, A. (2022, April 1). Amazon Workers in New York Vote to Form Tech Giant's First U.S. Union. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/amazon-workers-in-new-york-vote-to-form-tech-giants-first-u-s-union-11648831151. UTL Link: https://www-proquest-com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/docview/2645887735/9A005A338B194273PQ
Haddon, H. (2022, May 2). Starbucks Union Fight Intensifies Under CEO Howard Schultz. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/starbucks-union-fight-intensifies-under-ceo-howard-schultz-11651483981 UTL Link: https://www-proquest-com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/docview/2658135949/9A005A338B194273PQ
Labour Unions. Gallup. https://news.gallup.com/poll/12751/labor-unions.aspx
Photo source: Jaegers, A. (2017). [Photograph]. Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/IBWJsMObnnU
