GRAND FORKS — Starbucks baristas at the Washington & Demers store in Grand Forks have voted to become the first Starbucks employees in North Dakota to join Starbucks Workers United. More than 410 stores and 10,000 workers have unionized with Starbucks Workers United in the past three years.

​“The growth of the union movement at Starbucks inspired me to keep going through even the worst of times at my store – I’m glad we can finally be a part of it,” said Ethan Magstadt, a shift supervisor for six years at the Washington & Demers location. The vote was 13-10 to join the union.

“It was a difficult process but in the end we came together, and we are very excited to continue this journey,” said Haleigh Johnson, a Grand Forks Starbucks barista of two years. “The community has been an amazing support to us and we are so thankful.”

In February 2024, unionized Starbucks workers reached an agreement with the company to begin discussions to reach a foundational framework for collective bargaining agreements for represented stores and partners.

Starbucks’ recent commitment to its unionized workforce is a major shift, as Starbucks had engaged in illegal union-busting tactics and refused to negotiate, according to information from the union. In more than 50 separate decisions, federal administrative law judges have found that Starbucks has committed more than 400 violations of federal labor law, including dozens of unlawful firings, refusing to bargain and unlawfully providing non-union workers higher wages and better benefits than workers who voted to form a union.