Starbucks workers in Cary participate in ‘Red Cup Rebellion’ to demand company work with union

Aaron Gomez, of Lake in the Hills, has worked for Starbucks for 15 years, some of which at the location in Cary, he said.

Over his tenure, he’s been management but took a pay cut after leaving those ranks, he said. Now, he works part time.

“I’m paid almost the same as people who are just starting out,” he said.

It’s one of the reasons Gomez was among the several Starbucks workers picketing outside the Cary store Thursday, pushing for the company to play ball with the store’s new union.

Gomez and his coworkers were some of the thousands joining in a national strike around the country on Thursday. For Starbucks, Thursday marked Red Cup Day, one of the busiest days of the year for the company, where it hands out red, reusable cups for free to customers.

Instead, the striking workers gave out red cups to customers with the union’s logo as part of the protest, calling it the Red Cup Rebellion. They’re not telling customers to not buy Starbucks, but instead to go to another location, several workers outside said.

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Mike Mueller, right, a Starbucks shift lead and a member of the union’s bargaining team, along with community members Ethan Buhrow, left, and Jayden Preusker picket Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022, at the Cary location on Starbucks' Red Cup Day. Workers at Starbucks in Cary joined other workers across the country seeking to convince the company to better negotiate with its unionized locations. (Gregory Shaver — gshaver@shawmedia.com/Gregory Shaver for Shaw Media )

Mike Mueller, a shift leader and the unofficial union leader at the Starbucks location at 620 Northwest Highway, said the protest was a response to Starbucks stalling negotiations with them and other stores in recent months.

The Starbucks in Cary unionized in April, becoming the first in Illinois to do so. Since then though, they don’t have much to show for it, Mueller said.

“If [negotiations] didn’t work out, we thought we might have to do something like this,” Mueller said. “I hope this company realizes it’s smart to bargain with its workers … instead of stonewall.”

In a statement on Thursday, Starbucks said it was aware of union demonstrations “scheduled at a small number of our U.S. company-owned stores,” adding the company respects their workers’ right to engage in a lawful protest activity.

“Our focus has been, and continues to be, on uplifting the Starbucks experience for our partners and customers,” the statement reads. “We remain committed to all partners ... we have been willing and continue to urge the union to meet us at the bargaining table to move the process forward in good faith.”

Those working inside the store on Thursday declined comment.

Protesting workers include those who unionized and are seeking their first contract with Starbucks, Mueller said. Those include employees at Chicago, Buffalo, Seattle, Los Angeles and Memphis locations.

On Thursday, the Cary store was locked, and the only way to be served was through the drive-thru. Those working included managers from the store and other locations, Mueller said.

Mueller said he felt the protest was going well.

With how important of a day it is for the company, he said the store was seeing less traffic than even for a normal Thursday, Mueller. The workers also received donations in the form of hand warmers, coffee and other goods from regulars and other customers.

“Do I consider this a win right now? Yes, I do,” Mueller said.

Katie Aschoff, of Crystal Lake, was one of the customers who bought from Starbucks while the protest going on. She said if she had known the protest was going on, she probably would not have come.

“I get what they’re doing,” she said. “To each their own.”

Cary resident Jayden Preusker, president of the Youth Democratic Socialists of America at McHenry County College in Crystal Lake, joined in on Thursday despite not working at the store. He said helping Starbucks workers will lead to wins in other sectors and be positive for labor overall.

“It’s not just Starbucks,” he said. “We’re trying to get an entire sector of baristas unionized. All of the benefits that come from this contract will flow into this sector. People like me who are working in industry jobs, if we’re not paid [fairly], we’ll just go and be baristas.”

The protest comes on the heels of a new constitutional amendment in Illinois passing that guarantees the right for workers in the state to unionize.

Those in favor of the new amendment have said it will strengthen labor across the state, while those opposed worry it will drive up taxes and hurt the state’s business climate.