Missoula Starbucks first in Montana to successfully unionize

Employees at the Brooks Street and Central Avenue Starbucks became the first Montana franchise to unionize after a vote Friday.

The union joins a larger trend of hundreds of Starbucks stores across the nation organizing to address safety concerns, scheduling problems, and other issues organizers say they wouldn’t have the power to confront otherwise. 

Of the 22 employees at the store, 11 voted for the labor union and six voted against it. 

“It’s really awesome that this is happening in Montana,” Kate Alexander, a member of the organizing committee, said. “It shows that it can be done. Montana is a pretty labor-friendly place, and it could really become a point of reference for other stores that might be wanting to unionize across the state.”

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The store’s employees are organized under Starbucks Workers United, a group of around 330 stores have successfully unionized with since 2021.

“Starbucks is committed to bargaining in good faith and listening to our partners whether they choose to make their voices heard directly or through a third party,” a Starbucks spokesperson said in a statement to the Missoulian. “We have

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