Across the country, workers are seeking to form unions, empowered by a tight job market and driven by the desire for a better work environment. The National Labor Relations Board reports a sharp increase in petitions this year from workers eager to unionize. In New Jersey on Friday, workers at Medieval Times were casting votes on unionizing as a Starbucks on Church Street in Montclair could become the fourth unionized Starbucks in the state.
Shift supervisor Niah Baker said workers there want “more coverage for health care, more coverage for child care, definitely being able to have more hours, more consistent hours.”
What we see at Starbucks is a trend that’s happening across our economy, said Patricia Campos-Medina, co-director of The Worker Institute at Cornell University. “Workers, after the pandemic, are realizing that they are essential to the success of corporate America,” she said.
The ballots are slated to be sent out to the Montclair Starbucks employees by the end of Friday, and due back to the National Labor Relations Board by Aug. 5.
