Starbucks union movement comes to Ontario

The unionization wave at Starbucks coffee shops across North America, launched by Steelworkers in British Columbia, has moved into Ontario. Workers at the Starbucks Waterloo Town Square location, in Waterloo, Ont., voted to join the USW in May.

“We started this campaign after being inspired by other stores showing us that it was possible,” said a barista involved in the organizing drive. “We want to be able to protect and improve the workplace to make it better for everyone.”

The new USW members in Waterloo join Steelworkers at several Starbucks stores in Western Canada, including:

Edmonton:

Workers at the Terrace Plaza Starbucks store in Edmonton joined the Steelworkers in April of this year, after deciding to take a stand for fairness on the job and better morale, working conditions and wages.

Vancouver:

Workers at the Dunbar Street Starbucks store in Vancouver made a similar decision in February. “I chose to join the USW to improve workplace safety, seek better wages in the current economic climate and demand better staffing to protect the mental health of our co-workers,” said worker Frédérique Martineau.

Other recent USW organizing successes across the country include:

Société des traversiers du Québec:

Some 80 employees of Quebec’s public ferry services agency, working on the St. Lawrence River crossing between Sorel and Saint-Ignace-de-Loyola, voted to leave another labour organization to join hundreds of other Steelworkers employed by the provincial agency. “In past negotiations, we could see things were going better for those who were Steelworkers,” said Pier-Klaud Dallaire, vice-president of the bargaining unit under the previous organization.

Canadian Phoenix Steel Products:

More than 40 workers at Canadian Phoenix Steel Products in Etobicoke, Ont., voted to join the Steelworkers to improve their health and safety, wages and gain greater respect in the workplace. The workers produce steel pipe and mesh products.

Enviro Industries:

Some 40 workers at Enviro Industries in Sorel-Tracy, Que., voted to leave another labour group and join the Steelworkers this spring. The workers provide industrial cleaning services to large industrial operations in the region, where workers also are USW members. “With the Steelworkers, we’re with a union in our field … where there’s a spirit of solidarity and where we’ll be supported in what we do,” said new USW member Réal Dupéré.

Queen’s University residence dons:

In March, residence dons at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont., voted emphatically to join the Steelworkers to gain a meaningful voice for their working conditions. The student workers, who act as a critical resource for students living in university residences, join dons at other university campuses as USW members.

This article appeared in the Summer 2023 issue of USW@Work magazine.

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