SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Several Utah Starbucks employees walked out on Christmas Eve, joining hundreds of stores nationwide in protesting the coffee giant.
The “Strike Before Christmas” began Friday, in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle before spreading throughout the rest of the nation. Starbucks workers are protesting the lack of progress in contract negotiations with the company, particularly regarding matters of compensation and pay.
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Shelby Nordquist, a Utah barista, said they were fighting for change.
“We’re pushing for better wages, for better staffing, to end working a floor with two people and feeling the stress that corporate puts on us,” said Nordquist. “We want to be paid more and fairly.”
Salt Lake City Starbucks employees protest outside a downtown location as part of the nationwide “Strike Before Christmas” (Jeff Hunter/KTVX)
Salt Lake City Starbucks employees protest outside a downtown location as part of the nationwide “Strike Before Christmas” (Jeff Hunter/KTVX)
The Associated Press reports that Starbucks’ U.S. baristas make an average of $18 an hour. When you include benefits such as health care, free college tuition, and paid family leave, Starbucks’ pay package is worth an average of $30 per hour for those who work at least 20 hours per week.
Nordquist said it wasn’t enough saying her paycheck is making it hard to live in Utah. She said many of her coworkers are not college students but people with families to support and the current pay doesn’t meet their needs.
“To pay rent, to pay for health insurance, phone, car insurance, car, everything,” said Nordquist. “It’s really tight for a lot of the people, me and my coworkers, and we think we should be more fairly compensated for the work we do.”
George Metos, a shift supervisor in Salt Lake City told ABC4.com a pay raise would also support the local economy.
“That money is going back into the local economy, bringing money to other people, rather than being hoarded by the 1%,” Metos argued.
According to the Associated Press, the Starbucks Worker’s Union and the company have been bargaining since spring. Nordquist said workers initially requested a 20% pay increase but was met by Starbucks with a 1% increase. That offer has since been increased to an annual pay increase of 1.5%.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.