NEW YORK— Starbucks’ flagship store in New York City, a “Reserve Roastery” located in Chelsea, has officially voted to unionize, making it the first Starbucks in the city to do so and the tenth store nationwide.
In a statement, Starbucks Workers United said the establishment voted 46 in favor of unionizing, while 36 voted against the union Friday. About 100 employees work at the coffee shop.
The NYC store is one of three roastery locations in the country to unionize with Starbucks Workers United.
“I’m proud of the culmination of our efforts to make our workplace more democratic and equitable,” said Ley Kido, a Starbucks partner of nine years. “Community is a value near and dear to my heart and I’m grateful and joyous to be in solidarity with my peers.”
The announcement came just hours after an Amazon warehouse on Staten Island voted in favor of unionizing, making it the first Amazon facility in the nation to unionize.
Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine tweeted a celebratory response and congratulated the workers saying, “A second labor earthquake in NYC today, this time in Manhattan!”
Employees at the roastery filed for a union petition on Feb. 10, and originally requested a vote to unionize on March 3.
According to a statement from Starbucks Workers United, Starbucks delayed the process and created an “anti-union campaign.”
The union says it has filed unfair labor practice allegations against the company with the National Labor Relations Board on behalf of employees in Great Neck and Manhattan.
Starbucks could not immediately be reached for comment.
By Monday morning, a Starbucks spokesperson released a statement regarding the union vote, saying, “We are listening and learning from the partners in these stores as we always do across the country. From the beginning, we’ve been clear in our belief that we are better together as partners, without a union between us, and that conviction has not changed.”
Starbucks Workers Union says that over 185 stores in the nation have filed union petitions.