Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol seems to be trying to set himself apart from his predecessors at the company by attempting to quell tensions with the coffee chain’s union. In a response to a letter sent to him by the bargaining delegation with SB Workers United, Niccol committed to “engaging constructively” with the union, which represents at least 463 Starbucks stores (as of June 2024).
“I deeply respect the right of partners to choose, through a fair and democratic process, to be represented by a union,” Niccol said in a Tuesday letter sent to union representatives. “If our partners choose to be represented, I am committed to making sure we engage constructively and in good faith with the union and the partners it represents.”
Niccol’s letter was penned in response to a note from union representatives sent on Monday, about one month after both sides made progress in a three-day bargaining session in Atlanta. After a false start in September 2022, Starbucks and the union began the collective bargaining process in February, at which time the Seattle-based coffee chain committed to introducing credit card tipping and other previously withheld benefits to unionized stores.
This week, Starbucks and SBWorkers United hit the bargaining table for the first time since Niccol took the helm Sept. 9 at the coffee chain and took the opportunity to catch the new CEO up on progress over the past almost three years since the first store unionized.
“Both sides have engaged in hundreds of hours of bargaining and countless hours of preparation for each session,” the letter read. “We have learned a lot about each other’s perspectives. We have established a productive working relationship grounded in good faith and professionalism, and we have advanced numerous measures within the framework to address issues faced by Starbucks and partners through the system….We all know that this is a critical moment in Starbucks’ history as well as for its future. That’s exactly why you are here.”
The union further encouraged Starbucks to “do more to act boldly, be forward thinking, and be the best-in-class in setting standards to support partners throughout the system and industry, which in turn improves the customer experience.”
Niccol added in his letter that his goal is “to make Starbucks the best place to work for every partner, in every store,” and is listening to feedback from employees on how the company can improve during his first few weeks on the job.
“Starbucks is at its best when information, ideas, and feedback flow quickly and transparently between partners, including between store teams and leaders,” Niccol said. “We value the direct relationship because the best person to speak for a partner is a partner.”
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