Iowa City Starbucks the first in state to try to unionize

Iowa City, Iowa (KCRG) - For the first time ever, a Starbucks in Iowa is unionizing.

Luis Aispuro, an employee at the Starbucks coffee shop on Clinton Street in downtown Iowa City, tells KCRG TV-9 they decided to take this action after reaching a “breaking point” with managers at the store.

Some workers say they objected to moves to cut hours for some employees at such a busy location, among other issues.

They first reached out to the group “Starbucks Workers United” back in January to become a union. On Monday they filed paperwork with the National Labor Relations Board to become a union.

“We as a store get to negotiate on our terms with what we want and what kind of benefits we want with corporate. You know we’re the people here working, making drinks,” said Aispuro.

The workers say they still must formally vote to unionize.

Since the announcement, Aispuro says they’ve already been contacted by other Starbucks workers in Iowa looking to unionize their stores.

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