SEATTLE STARBUCKS WORKERS WIN UNION ELECTION Starbucks Workers United continues to expand the nationwide coalition of workers fighting for better working conditions and a seat at the table. Yesterday, workers at the Highway 99 & 185th Starbucks store in Shoreline, Washington, won union representation in a vote of 18-1 with 100% turnout, marking the 1st store in Shoreline and the 10th store in the Seattle area, the city of Starbucks’ corporate headquarters. The newly-minted unionized Seattle Starbucks workers have joined the fight against the Company’s hour cuts, inadequate staffing, disregard of partner safety, and refusal to bargain with the union in good faith. CEO Howard Schultz and Chair of the Board Mellody Hobson’s ruthless union-busting campaign – which includes firing union leaders and permanently closing union stores – has revealed the performative nature of the faux-progressivism the Company continues to tout as a marketing tool despite consistently disregarding partners’ concerns and well-beings.  “We started organizing our store knowing that we weren't getting a fair deal from Starbucks, but the disparities in compensation just between baristas was shocking to discover. We're hoping that, through bargaining, we can secure a contract that guarantees us the pay equity and decency that should be the baseline for all partners," said Carl Addison (he/him), a partner at the Highway 99 store.  Gabbie Perine (she/her), another partner at the newly-unionized store, said, “As baristas, who are the face of the company and the ones who build meaningful relationships with the community everyday, we’ve earned the right to demand that we be treated fairly. we are not disposable and we deserve better." Starbucks Workers United is the union drive that has taken the labor movement by storm. After a successful first year of the campaign that saw more new unions form in 12 months than any U.S. company in the last 20 years – 270+ stores representing more than 7,000 workers – partners around the country continue to diligently organize new workers, despite Starbucks’ best effort to thwart unionization. The NLRB has issued over 60 official complaints against the Company, encompassing over 1,200 violations and making Starbucks one of the worst violators of federal labor law in history.