They’re in a latte trouble.
More than a half-dozen protesters were cuffed Tuesday during a “sit-in” demonstration at a Park Slope Starbucks store that unionized in October and is set to close by the end of this month.
A spokesperson from the NYPD confirmed seven protesters were arrested, though information regarding their charges was unavailable as of Tuesday afternoon. A union organizer confirmed those arrested were former Starbucks employees and “allies” of store staff.
The rally, organized by labor union Workers United, began about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday with a “sip-in” – composed of dozens of workers, former workers and allies – protesting Starbucks’ “illegal” move to suddenly close the bustling Park Slope store on Friday and leave union workers without a fair contract.
“I 100% believe that unionization was a reason why we’re closing,” said employee and Sunset Park resident Jenn Skinner, who is being transferred to a Manhattan store next month.
“It was a very convenient thing that our lease was expiring at the same time,” said the 29-year-old, who told The Post her commute to work will be 30 minutes longer to the new store in the Financial District. “We literally just unionized two months ago. So it seems very fishy.”
City Comptroller Brad Lander said in a statement that he hoped the corporation will “move forward with negotiations.”
“We expect Starbucks to engage their unionized employees seeking fair wages and better conditions, not shutter the locations at which they work – and this hits especially close to home,” Lander said.
“This move from Starbucks raises concerns about whether the company is seeking to do right by their employees and come to an agreement.”
Employees only discovered the Brooklyn location was closing on Dec. 31, Skinner said, though other staffers and even customers had speculated that the store was closing after four other unionized Starbucks stores closed. Those included busy spots in Williamsburg and on Astor Place in Manhattan that were also shuttered with months of workers unionizing.
Skinner told The Post the Park Slope store was plenty busy – being close to New York-Presbyterian Hospital and a handful of schools – and serves as a necessary “third space” for young Park Slope residents to do homework and meet with friends.
“We’re one of the only [Starbucks] stores that has this large of a lobby, like an actual third place for people – and they want to shut it down,” Skinner added.
A request for comment from Starbucks was not immediately returned.
The arrests come less than two weeks after Workers United filed a federal unfair labor practice charge against the coffee giant for closing seven US stores – including the Park Slope store – in retaliation for union organizing.
Other allegations include Starbucks refusing to bargain the decision to close the stores and failing to respond to the union’s information requests regarding the store closures, according to the labor group.
“This comes after Starbucks has walked away from the bargaining table,” one striking employee said.
“They have decided to not want to go forward with writing a [new] contract or coming up with a contract,” the employee added, “So we’re all here in spite of our store closing, just to remind the company of our existence that we’re still here.”
The tide shifted after noon when, after dozens of demonstrators exited the “sip-in” at the store and rallied outside, stragglers who agreed to the “risk” of arrest remained inside the location at 166 Seventh Ave.
“We are tired of workers being put out of work, fearful that they’re going to lose their benefits, fearful that they’re not going to be able to pay their rent because a multi-billion dollar corporation – which could certainly afford to be doing better by their workers – is choosing profit over workers every single time,” said Michelle Eisen, an organizer from a store in Buffalo, which was among the first in the nation to unionize in 2021.
“This is a beautiful store with a neighborhood who loves them and workers who love coming to work every single day,” Eisen added. “This is exactly the coffeehouse vibe that they say that they want to get back to, and here it is. And they are closing this store. That is unacceptable.”
Organizers also pointed to the news that Starbucks’ new CEO Brian Niccol was awarded a $96 million pay package after just four months in the new gig – meanwhile union workers were offered “zero economic gains in the first year of their contract, which we have yet to settle,” Eisen said.
“I’ve worked for this company for a very long time and I’ve never made enough money to actually afford to live in good conditions in New York City,” said Starbucks Workers United barista and Astoria resident Brandi Alduk. “I’m a New York City native, and all we want is to have fair pay, fair benefits and to afford to live and grow in our communities.”
Tuesday’s rally follows a Christmas Eve strike with over 5,000 baristas that shut down more than 300 stores across the US to call out on the purportedly unfair labor practices. Workers United has also filed more than 90 unfair labor practice charges in recent weeks in regards to issues over collective bargaining at stores nationwide.
Several employees of the soon-to-close store told The Post their efforts are far from over – and will continue at the next stores where they’ll be transferred.
“I’m going to take everything here to my next store,” said Starbucks employee Orion Booth, a six-year Starbucks vet. “We’re not unionized yet, but we’re going to be soon.”
“They closed one union store. Guess what? Now we’re going to have seven,” Skinner, a shift supervisor of 3.5 years, added. “So joke’s on them.”
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