Tampa Starbucks employees vote to unionize

Employees at a Starbucks in Tampa voted Tuesday night to unionize, making it the eighth location in Florida to organize.

According to a statement from Starbucks Workers United, the vote was 13 to 5.

The local shop, which is on North Dale Mabry Highway and Linebaugh Avenue just outside the Carrollwood neighborhood, was one of five nationwide where employees voted to approve joining a union Tuesday.

The other stores were in Iowa, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Oregon.

In the statement, Starbucks Workers United says the effort was pushed by the local workers who are seeking "protections on core issues like respect, living wages, racial and gender equity and fair scheduling."

The vote came just about two weeks after the baristas filed a notice with National Labor Relations Board letting them know a vote would take place.

Organizing at Starbucks locations has been growing for a few years. After the elections Tuesday, the total number of employees voting to be represented by the union since 2021 now tops 10,500 at more than 430 locations.

For its part, the Seattle-based coffee giant says it prefers to deal with employees individually but is supportive of the organizing effort.

In an emailed statement earlier this month, company spokesperson Rachel Wall said the company believes “that our direct relationship as partners is core to the experiences we create in our stores, and we respect our partners rights to have a choice on the topic of unions.”