
Starbucks in Kingston Area Votes to Unionize: A Historic Win for Baristas
Local Starbucks Employees In Kingston Fight For Fair Treatment
Employees at a Starbucks location outside Kingston, New York, have voted to unionize, marking a significant milestone in the nationwide effort to improve conditions for baristas. The 12-4 vote at the Massa Drive store makes it the first Starbucks in the Hudson Valley to unionize, joining over 11,000 other workers in the fight for better wages, fairer treatment, and improved workplace protections.
A Nationwide Movement for Workplace Protections
The Massa Drive vote is part of a broader national push led by Starbucks Workers United (SWU), a union fighting for living wages, gender and racial equity, and more predictable scheduling. SWU represents workers across 540 stores, many of whom are challenging systemic issues like short staffing and low wages. “We were practically pleading for help from higher-ups and told to ‘suck it up,’” said Kian McComb, a barista at the Massa Drive store. “Meanwhile, our CEO is flying in private jets.”
The Fight Continues After Historic Strikes
The vote follows a major strike that occurred over Christmas Eve, involving 5,000 workers at 300 locations across the U.S. The strike resulted in the temporary closure of 170 stores, sending a clear message about workers' frustration. Despite the vote, many locations, including Massa Drive, will now enter the challenging phase of negotiating contracts—something other Starbucks locations have struggled with for years.
With ongoing efforts and an uphill battle for fair agreements, the unionization of the Massa Drive Starbucks is just one victory in a much larger fight for workplace justice.
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Gallery Credit: Conor Walsh