Why Starbucks is fertile ground for a labour fight

Every month or two, more Starbucks vote to unionize. In Canada, that fight is mostly spreading from west to east, with the first in Victoria, BC, and now others even in large Alberta cities. But why Starbucks? Why not Tim Horton’s or McDonald’s? What makes this coffee shop a good battleground for a labour movement that is gaining power?

And how is Starbucks fighting back? Is service worker organizing inevitable, or can companies like Starbucks still halt the momentum?

Jeremy Appel, has documented Starbucks unionization movement in Canada for Jacobin.

“Up until very recently, within the past few months, it was just the Victoria location, and then the momentum from the US unionizations I think spread across the border somewhat,” said Appel.

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