NORMAN, OKLA. — Workers at the Starbucks located at Mount Williams Drive and 24th Avenue Northwest voted overwhelmingly in favor of unionizing on Thursday, becoming the second location in Norman — and the sixth in Oklahoma — to join the national labor movement. The final vote count was 15-2.
According to a press release from Starbucks Workers United, the store’s decision adds to a growing movement of over 11,000 baristas nationwide who are pushing for better working conditions. Key concerns include fair wages, respect in the workplace, equitable treatment, and more predictable scheduling and staffing.
Hayley Hawk, who has worked at the 24th Avenue location for about six years, supported the union effort. She cited repeated safety and health concerns, including alleged violations of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards.
“Our air conditioning stops working, there’s mold in the store, and parts of the wall have fallen off,” Hawk said. “Even during extreme weather events, the store has sometimes remained open when it should have been closed.”
In one case, Hawk recalled the store’s interior temperature rising to 90 degrees Fahrenheit due to a broken air conditioner.
She said a coworker nearly fainted, yet staff were still expected to continue working.
“No one wanted to sit inside because it was so hot,” she said. “The food was melting. It was miserable.”
Hawk also said workers faced pushback from corporate management during the union drive. She claimed the company distributed anti-union flyers that warned employees about potential uncertainties around their benefits if they unionized.
“It just kept on,” Hawk said. “Flyer after flyer after flyer. But clearly, it didn’t work — we still voted 15-2.”
The successful union vote signals continued momentum for Starbucks workers organizing across the country, especially in states like Oklahoma, where labor actions at the retail level are becoming increasingly common.
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