The author writes that while national polls show broad support for unions, joining one can feel very different than endorsing the idea. After transferring to a Starbucks organized under Starbucks Workers United, the writer encountered closed-door meetings, exclusionary decision-making and no clear benefits. A union-led strike during the 2025 holiday season cut hours for many employees and prompted a decertification petition signed by more than 60% of the store, yet removing the union remains a slow process.
I Supported Unions — Until I Joined Starbucks Workers United
Protest at a shuttered Starbucks location in Seattle on Nov. 13, 2025.
New polling shows more than 70% of Americans say they approve of unions, but endorsing unions in theory isn’t the same as wanting to belong to one in practice. My experience after transferring to a Starbucks organized under Starbucks Workers United changed how I view union representation.
From Enthusiasm to Concern
I first noticed Workers United in 2021, when organizers won a high-profile election at a Buffalo, New York, store and the story spread across social media. When the movement reached my hometown of San Diego, I was working at Starbucks and advancing in my role. I enjoyed the job and the connections it created with customers and coworkers.
When I moved to a store that had voted to organize under Starbucks Workers United, I expected to see concrete improvements — higher pay, more reliable schedules, clearer protections. Instead, there was little tangible benefit and a growing atmosphere of secrecy.
Closed Doors and Exclusion
I observed members holding meetings behind closed doors and instructing coworkers not to share information with certain teammates. As part of the bargaining unit, I expected to be consulted on union matters; instead, decision-making seemed to serve a small group rather than the entire staff. That division eroded trust and affected morale across the store.
Signs for a Starbucks strike on Dec. 5, 2025, in Iowa City.
The 2025 Holiday Strike
During the 2025 holiday season, the union called a strike. Although an authorization vote occurred, several team members — including myself — said they were not informed in advance and had no warning. On the morning the strike began, the early shift arrived as usual only to receive an email announcing the store would remain closed that day.
The strike continued through the weeks leading up to Christmas. Scheduled hours disappeared with no clear end date, putting intense pressure on employees who relied on steady hours to support families. Rather than protecting colleagues from financial harm, the action left several coworkers uncertain whether they could afford basic holiday expenses.
Taking Action to Decertify
That practical harm prompted me to consult an attorney and begin the formal process to file a decertification petition — the legal path for employees to remove union representation. Ultimately, more than 60% of our staff signed the petition, roughly double the threshold required by the National Labor Relations Board to trigger a decertification election. Despite this majority support, our store remains entangled in a slow, difficult process to remove the union.
My experience is not unique: many workers nationwide find themselves represented by unions they feel do not serve the interests of the broader team.
Reflections
Before working at a unionized store, I generally viewed unions as a net positive and still believe they can be beneficial in some industries and workplaces. However, in my store and profession, this particular union did not prioritize the needs of the whole team. I hope other workers ask critical questions before agreeing to organize so they can avoid the confusion and hardship my coworkers and I experienced.
Joe Emmenegger is a barista in San Diego and a member of the Center for Union Facts Worker Council, a coalition of employees who advocate for transparency and accountability in the labor movement. This article originally appeared in USA TODAY.
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