Baristas at the Starbucks in Flatwoods vote 10-1 in favor of forming a union

A Starbucks logo is seen outside of a Starbucks store in Dupont Circle on November 16, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Kevin Dietsch | Getty Images)

More than a year after taking a failed vote, workers at the Flatwoods Factory Starbucks voted last week in support of forming a union for their store, according to a Starbucks spokesperson.

The bid for unionization was approved by baristas 10-1, according to the National Labor Relations Board , which has yet to ratify the results of the election. The win comes after workers at the same store attempted to form a union last March. Their election then failed 8-6 , according to the NLRB.

Representatives with Starbucks Workers United did not respond to requests for comment for this story.

Tori Tambellini, a union representative for Starbucks Workers United, which represents employees at unionized Starbucks stores nationwide, said earlier this month that the vote in 2023 failed at least in part because of “illegal union busting and a very illegal anti-union campaign” by Starbucks.

“Workers were intimidated into voting no,” Tambellini said.

Nationwide, Starbucks has come under fire for attempts to stop unionization at the popular coffee chain. To date , at least 81 Starbucks stores nationwide have failed to unionize.

Starbucks spokesperson Jay Go Gausch said in a statement responding to the bid to unionize at the Flatwoods location that the company is “committed to delivering on [its] promise to offer a bridge to a better future to all Starbucks partners.”

“At Starbucks we believe that our direct relationship as partners is core to the experiences we create in our stores,” the statement continued. “[W]e respect our partners’ rights to have a choice on the topic of unions.”

In a news release from July 9, workers at the Starbucks in Sutton lamented struggles at the store, including inconsistent staffing and scheduling, a lack of support and “retaliatory advances” from management.

“It has become apparent to me that our voices are not heard without any kind of outside representation.” said Brehana Smarr, a shift supervisor at the Flatwoods Starbucks, in the release. “As the ones that see everyday what it takes to keep this store running smoothly it’s only right that we get to be a part in making that happen.”

Workers at the Sutton location will now join nearly 500 stores and 11,000 baristas nationwide currently represented by Starbucks Workers United. The store was one of at least 13 locations from California to Vermont that filed petitions this month to hold union elections.

Next steps for the unionized store include naming a bargaining representative to work with the company on terms of the union contract. Once the person is identified, in-person negotiations will begin where both parties will work through contract proposals and counter proposals with the hopes of reaching a mutual agreement.