Barista claims she was fired from Canadian Starbucks over unionization efforts

A former Vancouver Starbucks employee is speaking out after she was let go following efforts to unionize the shop she worked at.

Frederique Martineau, 21, spearheaded efforts to unionize the Dunbar neighbourhood shop earlier this year. But the location closed mere months later, and she was moved to another non-union shop.

Martineau, a shift supervisor, was reassigned to an Arbutus Ridge location. But despite her seniority, she was only ever given barista shifts. Her hours were cut in half at the new location, and on November 8, she was let go.

“I’m about to punch on, and then I get pulled back saying, ‘Hey, can you come to the back, we have a meeting.’ I go to the back. ‘Go home, you’re terminated,’” she told Daily Hive.

She was accused of using profanities in the workplace despite her spotless five-year employment record.

“I didn’t use profanities. And if I had and I wasn’t a union organizer, would I still have been fired?”

You might also like:
• Starbucks is closing its Dunbar location later this month
• Starbucks in Calgary becomes first-ever unionized store in Alberta
• "Constant state of panic": Ex-Solly's Bagelry employees speak out

Starbucks denies she was terminated because of her union activities.

“To be clear, no Starbucks partner has been or will be disciplined or separated for supporting, organizing, or otherwise engaging in lawful union activity,” a Starbucks Canada spokesperson said.

Instead, the company suggested Martineau may have violated company policies.

“All partners (employees) receive training on our policies governing appropriate workplace conduct, and they are aware that failing to uphold them can result in corrective action, up to and including separation.”

Martineau alleges the environment at her old store became uncomfortable during the unionization process, with corporate representatives visiting the location often. She suspects it was an effort to eavesdrop and see who was voting to join the union.

She decided to unionize after dealing with long, understaffed shifts, causing stress for her and her colleagues. She alleges there was also exposed wiring in the store, which management claimed was too expensive to fix.

“You’re paying $10 for a coffee; I think I’d like to know my baristas aren’t being electrocuted in the back,” she said.

The newly certified union was just starting the bargaining process when the store was closed because Starbucks hadn’t renewed the lease.

Despite being out of a job, Martineau has no regrets about forming her first union at the young age of 20. In fact, she encourages everyone to learn more about unions and how they can empower themselves to secure their rights and improve working conditions.

“I just wanted to help out the people that I worked with … That’s what motivated me,” she said.