Starbucks union workers rallied outside of a store in downtown Indianapolis on Thursday as part of a national push for better wages and benefits.
Saturn Adair, a shift supervisor at Starbucks on Massachusetts Avenue in Indianapolis, has worked for the coffeehouse chain for nearly six years. He said the union is also fighting for increased staffing. He said if someone calls off during certain shifts, it makes it harder to operate.
"Most nights we have three closers and (if) you have one person call off, it's just the two of us. And it doesn't matter how busy it is," Adair said. "The events around downtown go crazy, and it's still just these two people struggling to make it work, not having to take our breaks. Just absolutely unfair things that no employee should have to do."
Looking for more reporting on statewide issues? Check out our projects Civically, Indiana and our climate questions project ipbs.org/climatequestions.
The union workers said Starbucks uses unfair labor practices and interferes with the unionization of stores.
Adair said the union wants to show their employer that it has power and is not afraid to strike if necessary.
"I see everyone working their ass off every day, working so hard, and it just feels like it gets no reward, no respect for that whatsoever, and we just get kind of walked on," Adair said.
In a statement, a Starbucks representative said the company has invested in its stores and employees, which has helped to keep turnover low.
Timoria is our labor and employment reporter. Contact her at tcunningham@wfyi.org.
Copyright 2025 IPB News
