Local
Starbucks Workers Union Urges University of Pennsylvania to Boycott Campus Locations
Starbucks Workers United rallied at the University of Pennsylvania on Thursday, calling on the school to cut ties with Starbucks as the union fights for its first contract. The demonstration is part of a broader pressure campaign against the coffee giant, which has faced years of organizing and stalled negotiations.
PHILADELPHIA â Starbucks Workers United brought its campaign for a first union contract to the University of Pennsylvania on Thursday, staging a rally to pressure the university to boycott Starbucks and sever any ties with the coffee chain.
The demonstration, held on Penn's campus, featured workers and supporters carrying banners and chanting slogans. Matthew Valenzuela, a seven-year Starbucks employee currently working at a Center City location, was among those helping to carry a banner during the rally.
The action is the latest in a years-long organizing effort by Starbucks workers across the country, who have been seeking their first collective bargaining agreement with the company. The union has accused Starbucks of stalling negotiations and engaging in union-busting tactics, which the company has denied.
By targeting the University of Pennsylvania, the union is hoping to leverage the school's purchasing power and its stated commitments to workers' rights and ethical sourcing. Penn did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether it would consider the boycott demand.
The rally comes as the labor movement has seen a resurgence in recent years, with workers at major corporationsâfrom Amazon to Starbucksâforming unions and demanding better wages, benefits, and working conditions. The Starbucks campaign has been particularly visible, with thousands of workers at hundreds of stores nationwide voting to unionize since 2021.
For Philadelphia, the rally highlights the intersection of labor activism and higher education, with one of the city's largest employers facing pressure to align its business practices with the values it promotes. The union's push at Penn could also inspire similar actions at other universities and institutions in the region.
Starbucks has previously said it respects workers' right to organize and is committed to bargaining in good faith, though the two sides remain far apart on key issues including wages, scheduling, and benefits.
The union has not announced any further actions at Penn, but organizers said the campaign will continue until the university responds to their demands.