Atlanta City Council’s endorsement of Starbucks boycott ignites larger debate

The Atlanta City Council’s rare vote to support a boycott on Monday sparked a broader discussion over whether it’s appropriate for elected officials to wade that far into ongoing labor disputes.

Council voted 11-3 to endorse the boycott of the popular coffee chain Starbucks, pledging not to buy any of its products until the company finalizes a fair contract with its unionized baristas.

The resolution was authored by Council member Kelsea Bond, who is a local labor organizer and the lone Democratic Socialist serving on the council.

But one of Bond’s colleagues cautioned that going so far as to endorse a boycott could put Atlanta’s City Council on a slippery slope.

“After taking a closer look at the legislation, I have grave concerns,” Council member Alex Wan told his colleagues. “I feel like this is a particularly performative and dangerous overreach of what our scope of work here is.”

For years, Starbucks baristas at some stores have taken part in a broader labor effort calling for higher wages, more hours and better working conditions. There are 13 Georgia locations that have voted to unionize, according to a map on the Starbucks Workers United website.

Wan pointed out that he signed on to a 2022 resolution supporting Atlanta’s Starbucks baristas amid their push for unionization at the Howell Mill location.

But endorsing a boycott sets a dangerous precedent, he argued. While Wan said he supports unions and the right to organize, he took issue with what he called “purposely inflammatory language” in Bond’s resolution and suggested scrapping the measure altogether.

He also questioned whether employees from Atlanta’s largest businesses might approach Council members with similar requests in the future.

“If there’s no specific standard set, who’s to say tomorrow we wouldn’t have the same request to us for our intown home improvement retailer, soft drink or beverage company and airline?” he asked. “I just want to remind everybody what I think our role is.”

Bond defended the resolution and encouraged fellow Council members to support it.

“I think it actually sets a dangerous precedent to continue to allow billionaires to exploit Georgia workers for a profit,” Bond said.

The first-year Council member said Georgia hasn’t exactly been a union-friendly state under its Republican leadership. Bond also noted the “behemoth” coffee chain has developed a reputation for “union-busting” in recent years.

“It is the least we can do as a majority-Democratic city and city legislature to support the workers who have been fighting,” Bond said.

Wan was joined by Council members Thomas Worthy and Mary Norwood in opposing the non-binding resolution.

A couple dozen Starbucks workers and members of the Service Employees International Union burst into applause following the vote. Atlanta follows cities such as Philadelphia and St. Louis, which have already endorsed a boycott. Other municipalities are considering similar resolutions, Bond said.

Workers have unionized at about 5% of Starbucks stores nationwide, the company said on its website. At those locations, Starbucks said it engages in “good faith collective bargaining” with its employees.

A spokesperson for the company said Tuesday that Starbucks offers the “best overall pay and benefits in the industry.”

“With part-time work at 20 hours a week, partners can get comprehensive healthcare, a four-year college degree with tuition covered, company stock and up to 18 weeks paid family leave,” the company said in a statement.

On average, that amounts to a compensation package worth more than $30 an hour on average, according to Starbucks, which said its turnover rate is less than half the industry average and that more than a million people apply to work there each year.

New Parks and Rec commissioner

After heading the city’s parks department for months in an interim capacity, Doug Voss has been named the permanent commissioner.

Voss has been with the city since 2011 and has held several leadership roles, including director and deputy commissioner. His appointment by Mayor Andre Dickens comes after a national search.