Last week, Northern California saw abundant fast food workers and Starbucks partner actions! On Tuesday, March 19th, fast food workers in San Jose spoke before the City Council to demand Know Your Rights training for workers, many of whom are frequently exploited and abused. 

Laura Reyes, a Burger King worker who was told to stay at work despite being in excruciating pain and hemorrhaging from a life-threatening medical condition, shared her experience with City Council members on Tuesday, “For them, our lives are not important, but for our children, they are,” Reyes said. ”This is why I’m here — in hopes that I may be able to count on your support that they give us training to all workers so that we know how to defend ourselves.”

Click here to learn more about Laura Reyes’ story.

On Thursday, March 21st, and Friday, March 22nd, Starbucks partners in Antioch and San Jose voted unanimously to form their unions. The Antioch store at Highway 4 and Hillcrest voted 19-0, and the San Pedro Square store in San Jose voted 9-0, with 100% turnout. Dani Armstrong, a partner at the Antioch store, said, “For the first time in a while, we are excited for the future. The power dynamic has shifted, and we finally have a say in our store.”

Marcus Ledesma, a barista at the San Pedro Square store for the past two years, said, “Our unanimous vote reflects that we all share the same concerns and needs. Whether it’s staffing us properly when it’s extra busy or letting us close the lobby when it’s unsafe, with our union, we’re going to have a genuine say in what’s going on. It’s an exciting moment. The more of us there are, the more the bosses will have to listen to us, and the more we can be supported in our work.”

“These unanimous wins are especially important because Starbucks management and partners are going to sit down and start talking about the foundations of a contract next month,” said SEIU 1021 VP of Organizing Brandon Dawkins. “The partners are definitely united, and it sends a clear message about what we can achieve when we stick together. We heard the same message loud and clear at a San Jose City Council meeting last week when Laura Reyes stood up, spoke up, and demanded Council support Know Your Rights training for all fast food workers. She sent chills down my spine when she spoke. It was a powerful reminder that every working person deserves the rights and protections that only come from union membership.”