SUPPORT STARBUCKS UNIONS

Hi everyone! It’s been a while. We here at Literary Starbucks have followed the news about Starbucks workers’ fight to unionize, and we want to use the platform we have to support them and uplift their voices. 

Starbucks workers across the nation have been unionizing their workplaces to ensure a more democratic, safe, and equitable environment for all employees. The first United States Starbucks to successfully unionize its workers was in Buffalo, NY, in December 2021. Since then, more Starbucks locations all over the country have voted to unionize!

Predictably, Starbucks is not thrilled about this, and has been actively union-busting. As linked above in the Upton Sinclair post, there are many examples of Starbucks closing locations that voted to unionize or firing pro-union workers, but Starbucks has gone even further. They have cut hours for pro-union employees, increased managerial presence in stores in order to monitor union activities, and, recently and abhorrently, claimed that Starbucks will support its workers who are seeking abortion services—but only if they aren’t part of a union.

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has “accused Starbucks of more than 200 labor law violations spanning over two dozen types of unfair labor practices.” In addition to being morally despicable, Starbucks’ union-busting practices are actually illegal.

Literary Starbucks supports workers’ right to unionize and stands with the Starbucks partners who are unionized and/or fighting to unionize. We condemn Starbucks’ anti-union position. 

To read more about Starbucks employees’ efforts to unionize, please check out Starbucks Workers United. Headquartered in Buffalo, NY, SB Workers United boasts 180+ stores unionized already. Check out their FAQ for more information!

Here are ways you can support Starbucks workers’ unionization efforts across the USA:

The baristas were always an essential part of the Literary Starbucks mythos. Help support the real-life heroes working in Starbucks locations across the nation today!

In solidarity,

Jill, Nora, and Wilson

Support the Literacy Achievement Bonanza by shopping at Barnes & Noble!

You, Literary Starbucks fans, love books. So help foster a love of reading in kids in Jackson, Mississippi, who are participating in this year’s Literacy Achievement Bonanza (LAB)!

The LAB is a day camp full of literacy-based activities designed to foster a positive relationship with reading while improving literacy skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) in age-, skill-, and developmentally-appropriate methods aligned with the College and Career Readiness Standards. 

Support the Literacy Achievement Bonanza, or LAB, by shopping at Barnes & Noble with the code 12326815 February 9-14 in store or online at BN.com/bookfairs. 

Don’t know which book to buy? Allow us to recommend Literary Starbucks. We’ve heard it’s quite good.

We did an interview with German Randomhouse about the publication of Literary Starbucks in German! The interview is ALSO in German! If you read German, enjoy! If you don’t, most browsers will translate text into the language of your choice. Any way you read it, we hope you enjoy!

Literatur zum Mitnehmen!

That’s right - it’s Literary Starbucks in GERMAN! We’re so thrilled to announce that the German edition of our book is now available for pre-order. It comes out on July 17th!

If you speak German, know someone who speaks German, have considered a trip to Germany, or just want to see the awesome new cover art, grab a copy!

Peter Wimsey

Lord Peter Wimsey struts up to the counter. When he finds that there is no English Breakfast tea available, he storms out and speeds away in his Daimler. 

Mr. Bunter glares sternly at the baristas and exits the shop, jogging behind Lord Wimsey’s car at a respectable distance.

Harold Pinter

Harold Pinter exits the shop and throws his empty cup in the trash bin outside. Seven years earlier, he goes up to the counter and orders two black coffees.

Frank McGuinness

Frank McGuinness flies to Texas, goes into a Starbucks, and orders a pumpkin spice latte. It’s orange, and he thinks it’ll send a message. To drive the point home, he drinks it in the middle of the street, in the rain, holding onto a guitar with two strings missing. Will he ever make it back to Enniskillen?

Patrick Bateman

Patrick Bateman goes up to the counter and orders a venti caffé latte. When he reaches for his credit card to pay for the drink, the barista notices a drop of red liquid on his impeccably cuffed sleeve.

“It’s probably nothing,” she thinks.

She is dead wrong.

Pierre Nora

Pierre Nora looks up at the sign outside the Starbucks and smiles. There’s definitely symbolism there. He goes inside and orders a black coffee. “Do you like working on this street?” he asks the barista.

“Yeah, my grandmother actually worked a few blocks from here when she was my age,” she replies.

She has no idea what she’s getting into.

Screwtape

My dearest Wormwood,

I note with grave displeasure that your patient has been drinking Strawberries and Crème Frappuccinos recently. May I suggest offering him some black coffee?

Your affectionate uncle,

Screwtape