The Midtown East Starbucks location in Raleigh locked its doors this week after several workers staged a walkout, forcing the doors to close.

“The Workers United Will Never Be Defeated!” was echoed proudly as a group of about 20 protesters led by Alyssa White approached the front of the store, located at 2901 Sherman Oak Place.

White, a Starbucks employee of five years, spoke passionately through a megaphone, claiming harassment that from the store’s manager and a toxic work environment ultimately lead to the walkout. 

One of White’s main talking points that afternoon was routine managerial backlash and “bullying” towards employees who called out sick or experienced ill symptoms while on the clock. White went on to mention that in her five years at Starbucks she has worked under a total of seven managers, five of which had either been fired or asked to step down.

White read a statement from one such employee who allegedly suffered a heart attack during their shift last month. The employee was told by their supervisor to continue working, that their condition was due to anxiety, and that there was not sufficient coverage for them to leave. According to White, the ER later confirmed that the employee had suffered a minor heart attack.

“The main demand that we are asking for on strike [today] is for a formal apology from our manager,” White said. “We are not asking for much. We are only asking for the dignity and respect we deserve.” 

White continued, saying that she and the other employees demand that the manager “take accountability for [their] actions and [their] words,” that “workers do not deserve to be treated the way that they have.” At which point protestors began chanting, “Who Got Your Back? We Got Your Back!”

Starbucks calls its baristas partners, a term that is meant to feel inclusive, for workers to feel valued more than the average coffee chain employee. But Starbucks locations historically suffer from a near 90% turnover rate.

Coupled with high turnover, Starbucks has been making headlines over the past year as locations throughout the nation have moved to unionize. The corporation has also come under fire for anti-union policies, being accused of illegally denying raises to union members and retaliating against union organizers. Workers United, the union representing the company’s newly organized workers, affirmed that Starbucks was discouraging union activity.

In North Carolina today, only one Starbucks location has successfully unionized. Back in April of this year, the Boone location successfully voted for unionization in a 33-2 vote.

A few months before the Boone store placed their vote, the Midtown East location in Raleigh filed for a union election, the first store in the state to do so. Ultimately, however, unionization efforts were unsuccessful. 

In earlier reporting, employees told the INDY that votes were counted from fifteen partners out of a voting list of twenty-nine. Starbucks challenged three additional ballots, all of whom were actively organizing employees, which were received but not counted. In addition, workers said that at least four additional ballots, all from members of the union organizing committee, were mailed but supposedly did not reach the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in time for the deadline—two of which were from Paola Cira and Alyssa White, who spearheaded the union efforts.

Many employees who had voted “Yes” at the time of the vote have since either left the Midtown East location or have walked away from Starbucks altogether, according to White.

White told the crowd that partners within the store are currently still organizing efforts to unionize, but have formally withdrawn from their campaign due to the fact that Starbucks would not give benefits to unionizing stores.

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