Starbucks workers claim victory in Overland Park union vote, first in Kansas City area

Starbucks workers at 75th Street in Overland Park held a vote Friday afternoon to unionize, citing better working conditions, and health care benefits.
Starbucks workers in Overland Park appear to have successfully voted to form the company’s first union in the Kansas City area.

Workers at the cafe on West 75th Street gathered Friday afternoon as the tally was read live from a National Labor Relations Board office.

The vote came back 6-1 in favor of the union. Seven other ballots remain challenged, but union organizers say those ballots include three pro-union workers who allege wrongful firing. There is currently no timeline for when those ballots might be verified.

Staff have been on strike since Wednesday alleging that management have intensified their union-busting efforts.