Starbucks workers, New Yorkers and politicians like Mayor-elect Zhoran Mamdani rallied at a Park Slope Starbucks on Monday calling for better working conditions.
The Starbucks union started striking last month. Workers like Gabriel Pierre say workers want their voices heard.
“Give us an end to unfair labor, union busting, fair wages, more guaranteed hours and just overall, a living, breathing company that respects its workers," said Pierre.
Starbucks claims with benefits and pay, hourly workers make closer to $30 an hour.
It comes after city officials announced a $38.9 million worker protection settlement with Starbucks.
Starbucks will pay workers across the city to settle claims that they violated labor laws.
The settlement comes as part of a city investigation and most of the workers impacted worked from July 2021 to July 2024.
Workers like Kai Fritz say it's a step in the right direction, but workers are still advocating for a better future.
“I know that their success comes from baristas like me. We are the ones who make that environment that they advertise to customers. We're the ones who write on the cups. We're the ones who create the meaningful moments that customers come back for," said Fritz.
Workers tell News 12 things like unstable schedules impact their quality of life and stability of income.
Mayor-elect Zhoran Mamdani says the settlement is a step in the right direction.
“When you ask these Starbucks workers what the consequences are of a company that refuses to schedule them with any predictability, of a company that refuses to pay them a wage that they can actually afford to live in this city, then they do not know if they can call themselves with New Yorkers any longer,” said Mamdani.
The settlement also guarantees workers recently laid off in recent store closings will have the opportunity to work at another location.
According to the officials, a multiyear investigation revealed violations of the city's Fair Workweek Law across more than 300 Starbucks locations in New York City. They include "illegally denying thousands of workers across more than 300 locations the right to stable and predictable schedules, as well as the right to pick up additional hours and earn more. The city alleges that Starbucks "arbitrarily cut schedules and illegally prioritized their own profits over their workers' rights."
Most employees who worked for Starbucks in an hourly position in New York City will receive $50 for each week worked from July 4, 2021 through July 7, 2024. Employees will receive a check in the mail this winter.
A Starbucks spokesperson issued a statement on the settlement to News 12:
"The NYC laws remain unchanged and complex, but our focus hasn't shifted – we're committed to creating the best job in retail. Since these claims, we've invested $500 million in improving the partner experience as part of our Back to Starbucks strategy. These investments not only ensure compliance – they make the experience better for partners in our coffeehouses. Today, more partners are getting schedules that fit their lives, making it easier to match availability and preferences while staying aligned with local laws like Fair Workweek."