Memphis Starbucks workers strike, citing moldy ice machine and leak in shop

About 15 Memphis Starbucks workers bundled in jackets and hats stood outside the Poplar Avenue and Highland Street coffee shop Sunday afternoon on strike after finding mold in an ice machine.

The employees stood at the intersection of Poplar Avenue and Prescott Street holding signs with phrases including "Got mold? We do!" and "Honk 4 Union."

The Starbucks employees began striking Saturday evening and plan to go until Monday after management refused to professionally clean the ice machine as well as fix a leak, according to a news release from Starbucks Workers United. The shop was closed Sunday afternoon.

Reaghan Hall, a Poplar and Highland employee, said she went to work Saturday evening to check the ice machine after telling management about the mold. Hall said the manager reassured her that the ice machine was clean and adequate for Starbucks' safety guidelines.

Hall said the machine still had mold.

"It's not safe for us or our customers," Hall, who has worked at Starbucks for two years, said. "We gave management an ultimatum to clean it by Monday. Obviously this is a huge safety concern, so if they refuse to get it clean we'll decide what to do then."

The workers demand Starbucks fix the issues and begin bargaining with the union members.

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“It is absolutely disgusting that we are being forced to work in these conditions," Hall said. "We are extremely disappointed in the lack of communication about the situation and the lack of accountability or initiative in fixing the problem. We were promised the situation was resolved only to walk into a store that is now flooding and mold still visible on the ice machine.”

Starbucks did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Beto Sanchez, another worker at the store, said management installed the ice machine in an area where it is inaccessible to perform maintenance.

“As a consequence, simply trying to perform the necessary maintenance causes a severe leak throughout multiple parts of the store, leading partners to be working in standing dirty contaminated water," Sanchez said. "A Starbucks ice machine vendor even said that it should have never been installed there.”

In February, seven workers at the Poplar and Highland Starbucks were fired amid unionization efforts. Starbucks had to reinstate the Memphis Seven following a U.S. Court of Appeals ruling.

Starbucks Workers United represents more than 260 locations, nearly 7,000 workers in the country. The National Labor Relations Board has issued 40 official complaints against Starbucks, which includes over 900 alleged violations of federal labor law.

Dima Amro covers the suburbs for The Commercial Appeal and can be reached at Dima.Amro@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @AmroDima.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Poplar and Highland Starbucks workers strike, citing moldy ice machine