Workers at a Starbucks in Ann Arbor forced the closure of their store yesterday as they protested what they called unfair labor practices by the company.
Unionized workers at the Glencoe Crossing Starbucks on Washtenaw Avenue walked off the job and gathered outside the store for the day.
Sasha Anisimova is the union leader at the Glencoe Crossing store. She says they were protesting two issues. First: that their hours were changed, forcing them to start at four in the morning. And second: that union employees at the company were not offered the same wage increases as non-unionized workers.
“They’re trying to convince people not to unionize because they want to seem like the threat of unionization will lose them pay."
In a statement from Starbucks, the coffee giant told WEMU they respect the workers right to engage in “legally protected activity or protest without retaliation.”
Non-commercial, fact based reporting is made possible by your financial support. Make your donation to WEMU todayto keep your community NPR station thriving.
Like 89.1 WEMU on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
Contact WEMU News at734.487.3363 or email us at studio@wemu.org
