Employees at a Starbucks in National City voted for union representation on Thursday, becoming the 34th location in California to do so.
Starbucks Workers United, an affiliate of the Service Employees International Union, has been working to organize the global coffee chain since 2021.
“Winning this election is not just a victory; it is a testament to our collective determination and serves as a beacon of hope for the future. We are not anti-Starbucks; rather, we are pro-worker, pro-fairness, and pro-progress,” said Eleanor Santos, a four-year employee and organizer at the National City location.
The vote was 21-3 at the Highland Avenue and 30th Street store.
Nearly 400 Starbucks stores in 42 states and the District of Columbia have successfully unionized.
Starbucks said it has informed the union that it seeks to “reach contracts for represented stores in the coming year.”
“We respect the rights of our partners to organize and bargain collectively, and we are eager to reach ratified agreements in 2024 for represented stores,” the Seattle-based company said. “Our commitment to all partners to offer a bridge to a better future remains unchanged.”
