☕ Original Starbucks to unionize

The Original Starbucks is Unionizing

“We, the partners at Pike Place #301, are excited to announce our intent to unionize with Starbucks Workers United,” begins the letter to Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol, announcing that the baristas and shift supervisors at the first-ever Starbucks, opened in Pike Place in 1971, plan to unionize. [Starbucks Workers United]

• ‘Starbucks lost its way’: In their letter, the workers say that they are forming a union for “fair and equal treatment, respect, and dignity for every single partner who makes this store so special.” They also claim that Starbucks sent National Labor Relations Board personnel to the store to surveil the team after they heard the team was discussing unionizing.
• Starbucks Workers United began organizing in Buffalo, New York, in 2021 and has unionized over 700 locations. Their list of demands includes $17/hr for the lowest-paid baristas, 4% annual raises, three workers on the floor at all times, and more. [Starbucks Workers United]
• Is Starbucks leaving Seattle? This latest unionizing effort comes as Starbucks closes locations in Seattle (four of which were unionized) and plans its Nashville expansion. Some are concerned that this signals a move out of Seattle, something CEO Brian Niccol said was not in the cards in 2024 upon joining Starbucks.

🏢 Should legislators be full-time? After this year’s short and intense legislative session, some lawmakers and experts think Washington should transition to a full-time session - meaning lawmakers wouldn’t hold other jobs while in office, would have larger staffs and more debate time, and could be more responsive to the federal government. Some lawmakers believe a full-time legislature is the opposite of what the state’s constitution writers had in mind. We talked about this with Hannah Krieg today on the podcast. [KUOW]

🚛 Millennials are moving to Seattle and Bellevue: According to SmartAsset, a personal finance website, Seattle has the nation’s second-highest rate of millennials moving to the city, around 11.5%. Bellevue ranked seventh with 10.6%. The website points to “job opportunities, higher pay, preferable lifestyles, and family considerations” as the reasons for moves. Late last year, we discussed whether millennials ran Seattle on the podcast. [SmartAsset]

🌆 Shaun Scott runs South Seattle community group: 43rd Legislative District Representative Shaun Scott has been named the executive director of Got Green, a community-organizing group in South Seattle fighting for working-class Black and Brown communities. A big part of his focus at the organization will be on demanding that the Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) make timely repairs to housing. [South Seattle Emerald]