Unions in Michigan are like fish in the water – and we don’t mean they’re polluted (well, mostly). They are common, though, and now it looks like even the fast food industry is hopping on the union train.
But do employees at a fast food joint need union power?
Here’s Five Fast Facts …… :
- 🌮 Let’s Taco ‘Bout It - Workers at Chipotle in Lansing recently found themselves in the news for voting to unionize, making it the first in the chain of 3,000 restaurants to do so.
- ☕ A Latte Do About Nothing - They may have taken their inspiration from a Starbucks in Buffalo, NY, where baristas popped off more than a steaming hot drink on a cold day - they started a national unionizing spree. In the 10 months since they voted yes, 209 more Starbucks have stores decided to go union.
- 😭 Who’s Mad - There are a lot of CEOs crying into their pumpkin-spiced coffees right now. According to John Logan, a professor at San Francisco State University, “CEOs of all of these big companies are horrified by what happened at Starbucks, and they’re thinking this is what we want to avoid at all costs.” Yikes for them.
- 😊 Who’s Not Mad - Yeah, this one is a win for us regular guys and gals. Workers in unions make 16.6% more than non-union workers, and they typically have better benefits and safer work environments. Remember fam, safety is essential when dealing with grease and hot coffee.
- 🏌️♂️ The Long Game - It’s too soon to tell if the unionizing spree will continue. Much of it will depend on how it goes at Starbucks and Chipotle. We’ll keep you posted --- right after we go binge a burrito bowl.
🔥Bottom line: If unions weren’t good for fast food workers, franchise owners wouldn’t hate them so much. Right?
Do you think unions are good for employees?
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