Starbucks employees protested outside the Main St. location by the Wisconsin State Capitol Thursday.
Starbucks kicked off their “Red Cup Day” on Thursday, but the location on Main St. was closed so workers could take shifts protesting outside the store.
“Everyone’s trying to come out here, at least for a little bit of time and support this cause because we’re all in this together,” protester and Starbucks shift supervisor, Lee Marfyak said.
Protesters shouted chants such as “no contract, no peace” and “tell me what democracy looks like! This is what democracy looks like!”
Marfyak said workers are protesting because corporate Starbucks is taking away their benefits. Workers are also underpaid and overworked.
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Marfyak said workers have tried to meet with Starbucks upper management, but when they finally got a meeting, their managers did not come. Two lawyers from an anti-union law firm came late and stayed only for 10 minutes. Marfyak said the workers just want to sit down and have a meeting with regional managers to discuss a contract.
Another protester and Starbucks barista, Lex said she is protesting because of the way Starbucks is responding to the unions.
“Basically there’s an oppressive environment of fear everywhere . . . everyone knows they’re firing people for petty reasons that are actually union stuff,” Lex said.
Lex said she loves her job but is protesting out of principle because she does not believe that corporations should be able to disband unions or evade laws like Starbucks has been doing.
Marfyak also said he also enjoys working at Starbucks in a press conference speech.
“I’d rather be there making drinks for people than out here in the cold, but our hand was forced to do something to take back control in our workspace,” Marfyak said.
Marfyak said Starbucks is not being a good business because they are not responding well to employees’ requests or being fair in their wages. Workers are out protesting because they want to be heard and have a mutually beneficial relationship with their managers instead of being at the whim of corporate.
Starbucks all over the United States are protesting today in what people are calling the “Red Cup Rebellion.”
