Starbucks union negotiations resume after long impasse

Ari Bray has worked at Seattle Starbucks stores for nearly five years. They rely on the company for health insurance to cover an expensive Chrohn’s disease medication. But to keep that insurance, Bray has to work an average of 20 hours a week, which the company doesn’t guarantee. At one point, they had to step down from a manager to barista role to get the requisite hours, taking a pay cut in the process.

“I don't like how precarious that is and how the price of it can change from year to year,” Bray said. “I would really just like that to be a little bit more stable so that I don't have to possibly be on the hook for $10,000 on short notice.”