Ithaca Starbucks Workers STRIKE: Picket Today to 5

Workers at the Seneca and Meadow Street stores in downtown Ithaca say they went on strike today to protest Starbucks blatant union-busting and wrongful termination of union leaders.

The workers and the TCWC welcome the larger community to join the strike line today at the S. Meadow Street location (up through 5 p.m.)!

Management has fired three Ithaca workers in August alone, one of whom, Kayli Gillett, was a worker at the Seneca Street store until yesterday when she was wrongfully terminated. Starbucks fired Kayli without following the proper disciplinary channels that Starbucks usually follows and thusly retaliated against her for her support of the union.

“I am so honored to be part of this movement and I’m proud of the solidarity shown by my fellow workers.” – Kayli Gillett, she/her, Ithaca on The Commons, ex-Starbucks worker of 4.5 years

“We demand that partners are paid on days with unforeseen store closures. I would like it if my schedule is respected once posted and that I am consulted before any changes.” – Georgie Marshall, she/her, South Meadow Street, worker of 10 months.

Workers also say that Starbucks has launched a particularly brutal campaign against the Ithaca workers that also included permanently closing the College Ave location in June, 2022.

The workers are demanding that Starbucks reinstate the wrongfully terminated employees, that management refrain from changing schedules without workers’ consent after they are posted, and demand that workers’ changes in availability be acknowledged and respected.