Workers at more than 100 U.S. Starbucks stores are on strike Thursday in their largest labour action since a campaign to unionize the company’s stores began late last year.
The walkouts coincide with Starbucks’ annual Red Cup Day, when the company gives free reusable cups to customers who order a holiday drink. Workers say it’s often one of the busiest days of the year. Starbucks declined to say how many red cups it plans to distribute.
Workers say they’re seeking better pay, more consistent schedules and higher staffing levels in busy stores. Stores in 25 states planned to take part in the labour action, according to Starbucks Workers United, the group organizing the effort. Strikers are handing out their own red cups with union logos.
Starbucks, which opposes the unionization effort, said it is aware of the walkouts and respects its employees’ right to lawfully protest. The Seattle company noted that the protests are happening at a small number of its 9,000 company-run U.S. locations.
“We remain committed to all partners and will continue to work together, side-by-side, to make Starbucks a company that works for everyone,” the company said Thursday in a statement.
Unionizing efforts come to Starbucks, food service workers
Starbucks is the latest major food service company to see unionizing efforts spread across Canada recently.
Some workers planned to picket all day while others will do shorter walkouts. The union said the goal is to shut stores down during the strikes, and noted that the company usually has difficulty staffing during Red Cup Day because it’s so busy.
Willow Montana, a shift manager at a Starbucks store in Brighton, Mass., planned to strike because Starbucks hasn’t begun bargaining with the store despite a successful union vote in April.
“If the company won’t bargain in good faith, why should we come to work where we are understaffed, underpaid and overworked?” Montana said.
Others, including Michelle Eisen, a union organizer at one of the first stores to organize in Buffalo, N.Y., said workers are angry that Starbucks promised higher pay and benefits to non-union stores.
Starbucks says it is following the law and can’t give union stores pay hikes without bargaining.
At least 257 Starbucks stores have voted to unionize since late last year, according to the National Labor Relations Board. Fifty-seven stores have held votes where workers opted not to unionize.
Striking Starbucks employees rally in front of a Chicago store, Thursday. The walkouts coincide with the company’s annual Red Cup Day, when customers who order a holiday drink get free reusable cups. (Nam Y. Huh/The Associated Press)
Talks at several dozen locations
Starbucks and the union have begun contract talks at 53 stores, with 13 additional sessions scheduled, Starbucks Workers United said. No agreements have been reached so far.
The process has been contentious.
Earlier this week, a regional director with the NLRB filed a request for an injunction against Starbucks in federal court, saying the company violated labour law when it fired a union organizer in Ann Arbor, Mich.
The regional director asked the court to direct Starbucks to reinstate the employee and stop interfering in the unionization campaign nationwide.
It was the fourth time the NLRB has asked a federal court to intervene.
In August, a federal judge ruled that Starbucks had to reinstate seven union organizers who were fired in Memphis. A similar case in Buffalo has yet to be decided, while a federal judge ruled against the NLRB in a case in Phoenix.
Meanwhile, Starbucks has asked the NLRB to temporarily suspend all union elections at its U.S. stores, citing allegations from a board employee that regional officials improperly co-ordinated with union organizers. A decision in that case is pending.
Toronto-Dominion Bank has named new co-heads of its U.S. commercial banking business.
TD says Andy Bregenzer and Jill Gateman will jointly lead the operations.
The bank says the appointments follow the announcement earlier this year of Chris Giamo’s retirement.
Bregenzer will focus on leading all aspects of the regional commercial bank, including small business.
Gateman will lead TD’s national commercial banking effort in the U.S., including middle market, sponsor-backed finance and TD’s other specialty lending lines of business.
TD, which is working to resolve investigations into failures in its anti-money laundering program in the U.S., announced last week that chief executive Bharat Masrani would retire next year and be replaced by Raymond Chun.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2024.
MONTREAL – Lightspeed Commerce Inc. says it is conducting a review of its business and operations including talks relating to a range of potential strategic alternatives.
The Montreal-based payments technology company made the comments after reports concerning a potential transaction involving the company.
Lightspeed says it periodically undertakes a review of its business and operations with a view of realizing its full potential.
A strategic review is often seen by investors as a prelude to a sale by a company.
Lightspeed says its board of directors is committed to acting in the best interests of the company and its stakeholders.
Company founder Dax Dasilva returned to the role of chief executive officer earlier this year and has been working to return the company to profitability.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2024.
MONTREAL – National Bank of Canada says it has cleared a key regulatory hurdle in its proposed acquisition of Canadian Western Bank.
The Montreal-based bank says it has received the Competition Bureau’s clearance for the deal.
The transaction still requires approval by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions and the minister of finance.
Canadian Western shareholders voted to approve the deal earlier this month.
National Bank announced an all-stock deal to buy Canadian Western earlier this year in a proposal that valued the Edmonton-based bank at about $5 billion.
It has said its acquisition of Canadian Western will significantly expand its western footprint and create a stronger national competitor.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2024.
