Fresno Starbucks store may soon unionize. What organizer says workers want

Workers and backers seeking to organize the first union at a Starbucks in Fresno rallied Thursday at Marks and Herndon avenues, where they said a vote this month could make their goal a reality.

Benjamin Takemoto, an employee of the store leading the effort, said working conditions at Starbucks have “gotten progressively worse” over the eight years he has worked for the coffee shop. He cited poor leadership from store managers and increasingly small pay raises.”

Takemoto said it’s possible store workers will vote on the union in late May or early June.

Among issues he cited were allegations that Starbucks offers benefits to those who work at least 20 hours, but it is not uncommon for managers to schedule employees for fewer hours to limit eligibility for health care, maternity leave and paternity leave.

Takemoto also said that he has been intimidated in front of customers and workers for leading the organizing effort.

“They are asking me to change my behavior, (but they) didn’t express how they wanted me to change,” he said.

Efforts to reach the Starbucks corporate office for a response to the union effort and Takemoto’s allegations were not immediately successful.

In a previous story about the organizing effort in Fresno, a spokeswoman who asked not to be identified said:

“We are listening and learning from the partners in these stores, as we always do across the country. Starbucks success — past, present, and future — is built on how we partner together, always with Our Mission and Values at our core.

“We’ve been clear in our belief that we are better together as partners, without a union between us, and that conviction has not changed.”

Angel Moreno, of the valley Central Labor Council who was at the rally Thursday, said two Starbucks in Santa Cruz have organized, and workers in about 240 stores nationwide, including 19 in California, have filed for an election.