NEW ORLEANS — Another Starbucks location in New Orleans has voted to Unionize.
Wednesday morning, workers at Starbucks in the Pan American Life Building on Poydras Street voted 11-5 to form a union.
The national movement, Starbucks Workers United, celebrated the vote with a tweet Tuesday morning.
The Poydras Street location becomes the second in Louisiana to unionize, joining the Starbucks at 7700 Maple Street.
The Maple Street location picketed earlier this year over stalled contract negotiations.
There’s been tension with managers nationwide since the start. The National Labor Relations Board has opened hundreds of investigations into allegations of intimidation and retaliation.
Back in March, the longtime Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz insisted to the Senate his company has respected employees' right to unionize. But he also says the company provides good wages and benefits, and a union isn’t necessary.
Starbucks workers in favor of unionizing say they want consistent schedules, more of a say in benefits and wages, and better worker safety and staffing.
As of May 16th, the organization says 313 stores in 38 states have voted to unionize. A union vote failed in 74 stores.
On Poydras Street, workers will now negotiate for a contract.
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