Since 2014, fast food workers all over the world have joined forces in a growing international campaign to build power for fast food workers. When fast food workers and their union reps met in Geneva earlier in 2022, the goal was clear: to keep expanding the global campaign to ensure safe workplaces for all fast food workers. However, it is obvious that the way to improve the working conditions for all workers, is to have a seat at the table, and the theme for this year’s global week of action is union rights, a call to our sisters and brothers in the sector to organise.

During the pandemic, Starbucks and other fast food companies saw a surge in profits, while the workers staffing their stores and drive-thrus struggled to make ends meet. As workers in Starbucks’ US stores have sought to organise a union to demand safe workplaces, fair pay and a seat at the table, the company has responded with an aggressive anti-union campaign, firing more than 120 workers. This company, which has made billions of dollars off the backs of workers, believes that it can crush the unionisation effort into submission using intimidation, harassment, illegal firings, and an army of expensive lawyers.

This November 14-20th, Starbucks baristas, McDonald’s workers, and other fast food workers are standing up for their union rights as part of a worldwide week of action. For too long, fast food workers have suffered low wages, health and safety hazards, unpredictable scheduling, sexual harassment and a high-pressure work environment. Starbucks and other global fast food corporations have done little to fix the rampant issues in their stores, and the pandemic reinforced what we have always known: that corporate profits come before workers’ wellbeing.

Goals for the global week of action:

•  To highlight the ongoing fights of fast food workers across the world to improve working conditions in the sector.
• To send a strong message to Starbucks that workers and unions around the world are demanding that it respect the rights of its workers to form a union and negotiate a collective agreement.
• To convey a message of solidarity and support to Starbucks workers in the US and around the world who are fighting for their union rights.

Join the global week of action November 14-20 with any of the following action ideas:

• Group Photo Outside Starbucks, McDonalds or other fast food stores
• Organise a group of workers, union leaders and staff, and other allies to stand outside a local Starbucks store, or other fast food restaurants and take a picture
• Pass out Leaflets to Workers: Pass out leaflets to workers at a Starbucks store near you with information about their rights, the importance of being part of a union and having a strong collective agreement, and contact information for your union.           
• Share Messages of Support on Social Media, using the hashtags #baristasunited #fastfoodglobal.

A message from unionised Starbucks workers in the United States

“Workers at more than 235 Starbucks stores in the United States have made their voices heard and won a seat at the table. Starbucks claims that they are a progressive company that cares about its partners, but they are fighting us with everything they’ve got.

“We’ve decided to form a union because we know this is the only way for us to improve our working conditions. To form or join a union, and the right to organize, is a human right, and Starbucks is seeking to deny us this right through its aggressive anti-union campaign in the US.

“We believe that all Starbucks and food service workers deserve a voice in the workplace and good working conditions. We invite all of our sisters and brothers in this industry to stand up with us and demand a seat at the table. We are stronger when we all stand together.”

For more information, see here.

Image: Starbucks Workers United union protest. Author: Ethan B., licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.