Starbucks baristas in Burnaby join union for respect and authenticity at work

BURNABY, British Columbia, July 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Starbucks workers at Kensington Square in Burnaby are the latest to join the growing wave of unionized baristas across Canada. The United Steelworkers union (USW) proudly welcomes these workers as part of the expanding national campaign for fairness, dignity and a real voice on the job.

The Kensington Square baristas organized in response to growing nationwide concerns about job security, staffing levels and inconsistent enforcement of workplace rules, including recent waves of fellow workers being fired for dress code violations. Workers say the nationwide firings sparked outrage and built support for unionization in their store.

“We want to be our authentic selves and have a real voice at work and not punished or fired for simply showing up as who we are,” said one Kensington Square worker. “We’re done being silenced and told who to be. That goes against everything Starbucks claimed to stand for and we’re not staying quiet anymore. Starbucks needs to be better.”

“If you feel destabilized, under-appreciated or unheard, and you believe in a healthy, respectful workplace, just know this: from one worker to another, you are not alone,” said another Kensington Square worker. “For us, it also came down to wanting better staffing, real job security and a real say in the policies that impact us every day.”

The USW encourages Starbucks workers from other stores to take the step toward organizing. With each new location that joins, workers gain the collective strength needed to negotiate for fair treatment, better working conditions and respect at work.

“Workers at Kensington Square are joining a growing movement of baristas who are standing up and demanding better,” said Scott Lunny, USW Western Canada Director.

“These workers are showing immense courage and solidarity by organizing for their rights, and we are proud to stand with them as they build power on the job. Every new group of workers that joins the union strengthens the voice of all Starbucks workers across the country. It takes time to build, but I’m proud of the work they are doing,” added Lunny.

For more information about unionizing a Starbucks location or getting involved, visit betterworknow.ca/starbucks.

About the United Steelworkers union

The USW represents 225,000 members in nearly every economic sector across Canada and is the largest private-sector union in North America, with 850,000 members in Canada, the United States and the Caribbean.

Each year, thousands of workers choose to join the USW because of the union’s strong track record in creating healthier, safer and more respectful workplaces and negotiating better working conditions and fairer compensation – including good wages, benefits and pensions.

For more information:
Scott Lunny, USW Western Canada Director, 604-329-5308, slunny@usw.ca
Brett Barden, USW Communications, 604-445-6956, bbarden@usw.ca

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