Across the country, young Starbucks baristas are pushing to unionize their cafes, flaunting their collective power against the coffee giant in a fight that could change the broader restaurant industry and its relationship with its workforce.
To date, more than 30 company-owned stores from Massachusetts to Tennessee and Arizona have filed for union elections at Starbucks, according to a CNBC analysis of NLRB filings.
An industry-wide labor crunch and the high-profile union push from Starbucks workers could mean more chains see their employees follow suit, according to industry analysts.
“I do think, right now, this is the canary in the coal mine for the union and for the industry,” said MKM Partners analyst Brett Levy in a note.
