Unionized Starbucks stores face hard work of bargaining

By DEE-ANN DURBIN
AP Business Writer

It’s become a common sight: jubilant Starbucks workers celebrating after successful votes to unionize at dozens of U.S. stores. But when the celebrations die down, a daunting hurdle remains. To win the changes they seek, like better pay and more reliable schedules, unionized stores must sit down with Starbucks and negotiate a contract. It’s a painstaking process that can take years. And it’s all happening amid tensions between Workers United, which represents the unionized stores, and the Seattle coffee giant. Already, the NLRB has filed 45 complaints against Starbucks for various labor law violations, including firing workers for union activity. Starbucks has filed two complaints against the union, saying labor organizers harassed and intimidated workers at some stores.