Danbury Starbucks Workers Unionize Third Connecticut Store

Starbucks workers at the Berkshire Center store in Danbury won union representation in a vote of 18-1 on July 7. They become the third store to unionize in the state, joining baristas at Corbins Corner in West Hartford and at the Vernon store. Both won union elections last year although the company continues to refuse to bargain a first contract.

"I voted yes because worker exploitation is evil. We are more than cogs in a machine. We are the machine and we deserve a seat at the table," said Joe Gless, a barista in Danbury for three years.

"Being a part of this union is important to me because it gives us the power to advocate for one another. It ensures that our voices are heard, that we have a say in the environment in which we work,” said Jake Domey, a supervisor at the Berkshire Center store who has been with the company for 11 years. “It is time to remind Starbucks that its greatest asset has always been the people who work in their stores daily, and that we deserve more. Partners over profit."

“I voted yes to make my working environment better and to make it more of a welcoming experience for anyone who comes after me,” said Tyler Kilgore, shift supervisor who has been with the company for over five years.

Theresa Buchta has been a barista at Starbucks for a year. “This union victory sends a message to management and to every partner in our district that we deserve better and we can win better when we stand up together and advocate for our rights. Berkshire Center Starbucks is ready to join the national movement in the fight for a contract,” she said.

Over 8,000 baristas are part of Starbucks Workers United which is organizing for better working conditions, fair wages, and consistent schedules.

Starbucks has launched a ruthless union-busting campaign that includes threatening workers' access to benefits, firing over 230 union leaders across the country, and shuttering union stores. The NLRB has issued over 100 official Complaints against the Company, encompassing over 1,900 violations of federal labor law.

Since December 2021, over 330 Starbucks stores in 38 states and the District of Columbia have successfully unionized — more than any company in the 21st century.