Some employees at a Sarasota Starbucks store want to unionize

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - A group of employees at a Starbucks store in Sarasota want to unionize and they’ve sent a letter to the company’s CEO outlining their issues of concern.

Sydney Jamison is a Starbucks barista at the location on University Parkway and Honore Avenue.

“Starbucks United wants to give us more of a wage, and a lot of baristas agree that would be great, especially in an area like Sarasota where $15 an hour is not really enough to make rent and food and cars and insurance and all of these different expenses that are non-negotiable,” said Jamison.

According to Starbucks media relations in Seattle, they highlighted opportunities that they already offer to their employees, which include health benefits, 100% tuition reimbursement for a four-year bachelor’s degree through the Starbucks College Achievement Program, 401 (k) matching, an average wage of $17.50 per hour and bean stock grants.