Second Ellicott City Starbucks votes to unionize

Employees at an Ellicott City Starbucks voted to unionize Tuesday, becoming the second Howard County location to do so in the past year.

The Shipley’s Grant store, located off Route 108, is the eighth Starbucks location in Maryland to organize. Last July, employees of a Starbucks on U.S. 40 near North Chatham Road voted to unionize.

“With so many issues surrounding our store, and the strengthening of the movement to unionize, we found it in our best interest to file at this time,” Noah Smith, a shift supervisor and union organizer at the Shipley’s Grant store, said in a statement.

Shipley’s Grant joins more than 400 Starbucks stores that have unionized across the United States since 2021, according to a Starbucks Workers United news release. The national movement is working toward providing unionized Starbucks baristas with better working conditions and wages, stronger workplace discrimination and harassment policies, and fair scheduling.

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“This filing leads us closer to overall protections and will ultimately provide a safe and welcoming environment for our partners, community members, and those around the nation,” Smith said.

Employees of the Starbucks at 1209 N. Charles St. in Baltimore’s Mid-Town Belvedere neighborhood made it the first location in the state to unionize. Other locations where Starbuck employees have organized include the Shoppes at Nottingham Square in Baltimore County, Stevensville, Linthicum Heights, Bel Air and Olney.

Jess Nocera

jess.nocera@thebaltimorebanner.com