Grand Forks Starbucks location becomes first in North Dakota to unionize

Grand Forks Herald
2 min read
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Mar. 26—GRAND FORKS — A Grand Forks Starbucks on Monday, March 25, became the first in North Dakota to unionize.

Employees at the Starbucks, located on South Washington Street, voted 13-10 to join Starbucks Workers United, according to a press release from the union. The Grand Forks store joins more than 410 stores and 10,000 workers who became part of Starbucks Workers United in the last three years. There are participants in 43 states, as well as the District of Columbia.

The vote to join came at a critical moment, according to the union, because Starbucks has been signaling its readiness to reach a first contract with unionized baristas. In February, a step was made to discuss collective bargaining agreements.

"The growth of the union movement at Starbucks inspired me to keep going through even the worst of times at my store," Ethan Magstadt, a Grand Forks shift supervisor of six years, said in the release. "I'm glad we can finally be a part of it."

Starbucks' willingness to participate is a major shift, according to Starbucks Workers United, as the company has been accused of engaging in illegal union-busting tactics as well as refusing to participate in the past.

"In more than 50 separate decisions, federal administrative law judges have found that Starbucks has committed more than 400 violations of federal labor law, including dozens of unlawful firings, refusing to bargain, and unlawfully providing non-union workers higher wages and better benefits than workers who voted to form a union," the release said.

The nationwide movement of unionizing baristas has goals to "win justice at work," which includes protections surrounding wages, racial and gender equality, fair scheduling and respect, the release said.

The campaign is led by Starbucks workers, and that peer-to-peer method of organization has won numerous elections in Starbucks stores across the nation.

Reached for comment, a Starbucks spokesperson said the company and Workers United agreed on Feb. 27 to begin discussions on a foundational framework "designed to help achieve ratified bargaining agreements, resolve certain litigation and address other issues."

"We are eager to reach ratified agreements in 2024 for stores that have already voted for union representation," said Rachel Wall in an emailed statement. "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. We are committed to delivering on our promise to offer a bridge to a better future to all Starbucks partners."

The Herald reached out to the recently-unionized Starbucks for comment, but an employee said they could not comment on the situation and referred the Herald to corporate. The union also could not be reached before the Herald's deadline.

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