Workers at Albuquerque Starbucks take part in nationwide strike

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Employees picketed outside the Starbucks at Rio Grande and I-40 Wednesday, taking part in a nationwide strike. 

A Twitter post from Starbucks Workers United says workers at more than 100 stores across the country took part in the strike. 

“What do we want? Contracts! When do we want it? Now!” 

Employees at the Starbucks on Rio Grande voted to unionize just last year. 

“We’ve been experiencing a lot of the same things that other stores have been across the country, and unions are a good way to protect us,” said Madz Dazzo, a Starbucks employee. 

At the time, employees said they wanted better pay, a fully staffed store, job security, and better health care benefits. 

Since then, union workers say not much has changed. 

“Starbucks still hasn’t negotiated a contract with us or any store across the nation,” said Dazzo. 

They accuse former CEO Howard Schultz and Starbucks Corporate of taking part in illegal union busting. 

“We have been dealing with a lot of retaliation,” Dazzo said. 

Schultz stepped down as the head of the company on Monday. He was replaced by Laxman Narasimhan. 

Schultz is still set to testify in an upcoming Senate hearing on the alleged union busting.

Workers at the Starbucks on Rio Grande tell KOB 4 their strike delayed the opening of the store from 5:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.  

They’re hopeful the protest will get Starbucks reps to sit down with them to negotiate a contact. 

“And if we don’t get it, we’re not going to work!”