VICTORIA – Workers at a Starbucks drive-thru in Victoria, B.C., have voted overwhelmingly to join the United Steelworkers (USW) union, because they believe the best way to protect their health and safety on the job is through a union.
“We’re sick of being paid minimum wage to work for a multi-billion-dollar company, being understaffed during a global pandemic, and we don’t like decisions that directly affect our safety being made without us,” said a Victoria Starbucks worker. “We’re working much harder to keep ourselves and our customers safe, and we deserve better from Starbucks.”
“In the midst of a pandemic, it takes courage for workers to start an organizing drive, and I welcome these new members to our union and are honoured that workers from Starbucks chose USW to represent them,” said Stephen Hunt, USW Western Canada Director.
“Workers from all sectors are reaching out to unions for safety, decent wages and a voice in their workplaces, especially during the pandemic,” said Hunt. “Workers are told they are essential, but they don’t have the wages or safety protections that should back that claim up. We’ve always known they are essential, but they’re not sacrificial too,” he added.
“I want to thank the Starbucks workers for reaching out to each other and our union,” Hunt said.
The United Steelworkers District 3 represents over 50,000 workers in Western Canada and the Territories.
Stephen Hunt, USW Western Canada Director, 604-816-2554, shunt@usw.ca
Bob Gallagher, USW Communications, 416-544-5966, 416-434-2221, bgallagher@usw.ca
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