Union workers and supporters in Oklahoma City participated in a national wave of pickets on Wednesday morning.
Picketers gathered outside the Starbucks location on 23rd and Robinson in Oklahoma City holding signs that said “just practicing for a just contract” and “no contract, no coffee.”
Local Starbucks Workers United organizer Collin Pollitt said workers are not striking just yet, but they’re hoping to send a message to the company.
“This is a warning. It’s a national week of action. The time is now to settle a fair contract and resolve hundreds of unfair labor practices,” Pollitt said.
A press release from Starbucks Workers United said Oklahoma City was joining 35 other cities in action to "escalate contract demands."
This follows Starbucks closing hundreds of locations and laying off hundreds more employees across the country, including several in Oklahoma.
Editor's note: Following the publication of this story Starbucks issued a statement to KGOU, which reads as follows:
“Our ‘Back to Starbucks’ investments—like $500 million to put more partners in stores, 18 weeks of parental leave, and industry-leading benefits that add up to about $30 an hour—are helping us keep turnover at record lows and making Starbucks a place more partners recommend as a great place to work. We’re ready for the union to return to the table to finalize a reasonable contract.”
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