Starbucks employees went on strike at an Overland Park location early Saturday morning, leaving the store closed throughout the day.
The strike began at 8 a.m. at the Starbucks at 10201 West 75th Street, where workers gathered outside to protest poor working conditions and alleged retaliation against employees trying to unionize.
The employees filed a petition to unionize with the National Labor Relations Board earlier this month, joining a wave of over 100 of the company’s stores organizing across the country, including a location at the Country Club Plaza.
28-year-old Hannah McCown has worked for Starbucks for over three years and started at the Overland Park location four months ago. She participated at a March 3 protest at the Plaza location where workers voiced concern about safety, and also attended Saturday’s strike.
Employees walked out of the store around 8 a.m. The Starbucks was closed for the day.
“No one has been coming into work today,” she said, sitting outside the coffee shop alongside her co-workers.
In recent weeks, McCown said, employees leading the effort to unionize have been asked to work days they are not available, despite having a previously set work schedule.
“They told me my availability would no longer work and that’s only after we started to organize,” she said, adding that she believes management is trying to intimidate employees.
“When they’re talking to us, they’re talking about us losing our hours, which means losing our benefits and possibly not being able to pay our bills.”
McCown had to switch to working part-time. Other workers have had to leave their jobs due to changes to their hours, she said.
Rhonda Upshaw is a leader in the union group Stand Up KC and works at the Taco Bell next door to the Starbucks.
“We’re all food industry service workers and when one of us gets treated bad we all get treated bad,” she said.
Upshaw attended the strike in solidarity with Starbucks employees. She said the challenges facing Starbucks employees were similar to those she has encountered.
One Starbucks employee had been accused by a manager of stealing, she said, which also happened to her friend at work. In both cases, security tapes were reviewed and the accusations ceased.
“What’s going on here is really outrageous,” Upshaw said.
“We all deserve better treatment.”
Starbucks did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This story was originally published March 19, 2022 4:01 PM.
