Workers at the Carbondale Starbucks on East Main street have notified the National Labor Relations Board they would like to be represented by a union. Megan Brown, has worked at the store for nearly 11 months and says she and her co-workers were inspired to do so after workers at a Buffalo Starbucks Unionized earlier this year. Among the reasons, Brown says, is higher pay.
"I think that's the reason that most people start organizing a Union. And I think that's what set Buffalo in motion, I think that's what set us in motion. But along with that, we also get the opportunity to, if other things come up, just working conditions in general we have the opportunity to bring those things to the forefront."
Union organizer, Mari Orrego says an election to actually form a union, takes place generally two to three months after the request is made. WSIU sent an email to Starbucks headquarters, but has yet to hear back.