This episode of Restaurant Rewind is sponsored by Uber Direct.
Three years ago, the restaurant industry was stunned by the news that the employees of several Starbucks units in upstate New York had banded together to form a union. The drama deepened as store after store followed the lead of those Buffalo stores. Before long, the unionization effort had surged into a true organizing drive within the coffee giant, and a number of smaller competitors were dragged along in the wake of publicity.
Today, nearly 450 Starbucks stores have been unionized. How did it happen so quickly? And how has it changed Starbucks, and possibly the restaurant business at large?
This week’s episode of Restaurant Rewind takes up those questions. We look back at how the chain restaurant market’s most ambitious and successful organizing drive began and unfolded, triggering three CEO changes along the way. Now, with a fourth chief ready to assume leadership, what’s the situation for Starbucks?
Press Play to find out.
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