Four Michigan Starbucks Stores Voted to Unionize

To unionize or not to unionize, that's the big question these days. Well apparently four Starbucks stores in the Ann Arbor area placed their vote to be unionized as of this week.

I don't think I've ever worked for a place that operated as a union. And we all know what a union does, it's an organization formed by workers who join together who basically has a voice in their workplace.

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Once you belong to a union, you have the right to negotiate with employers over wages, benefits, workplace health and other areas of work related issues.

According to mlive.com:

Michigan already had one unionized Starbucks in Grand Rapids which marked the first in the state. At the time the Grand Rapids store joined a list of about 60 stores unionized across the U.S. A month later that list has already grown to more than 120 unionized stores, according to A More Perfect Union.

Based on everything I've read so far, Starbucks is not the only company unionizing several locations. Other union elections are taking place all across Michigan to consider unionizing ten stores.

As far as the four Ann Arbor Starbucks are concerned. Employees seem fairly happy about being unionized. This from mlive.com:

After the store received 15 yes votes and one no vote the workers ran inside to tell customers they were officially a union. The Ann Arbor stores have received community support from both county commissioners and the University of Michigan The Graduate Employees’ Organization, who attended the watch party in solidarity.

I can honestly tell you that I have never worked for a unionized broadcasting company. Is there such a company?