Philadelphia City Council becomes first city to officially support Starbucks Workers United boycott

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — The Philadelphia City Council is calling for a boycott of Starbucks until the company reaches a contract with its union baristas.

A resolution passed Thursday makes Philadelphia the first U.S. city to officially support a boycott of Starbucks Workers United.

The union represents more than 12,000 baristas nationwide.

The union released a statement saying it is no longer possible to be both a Starbucks customer and a support worker, calling the coffee chain a “law-breaking company.”

A Starbucks spokesperson sent Action News this statement:

“Starbucks offers competitive salaries, industry-leading benefits and meaningful career growth opportunities. People love working at Starbucks, which is why we have the lowest revenue in the industry and why more than a million people apply to wear the green apron each year. As we always have been, we are committed to engaging in productive negotiations.”