Sulphur Starbucks employees voted to unionize last week, unanimously agreeing to join Starbucks Workers United.

With a vote of 19-0, partners at the Sulphur store became the fifth Starbucks location in Louisiana to join the union — now made up of more than 400 stores.​

“Our store’s unanimous election victory is the inevitable result of our collective hard work and solidarity,” said Lizzie Harlow, a shift supervisor at the I-10 & HWY 108 Starbucks. “We recognize the importance and value of this work and encourage all workers to exercise their protected rights because we are all stronger together.”

The Sulphur partners join a quickly expanding nationwide movement of 10,000 baristas joining together to win justice at work, including protections on core issues like respect, living wages, racial and gender equity, and fair scheduling. The historic organizing campaign hinges on peer-to-peer organizing led by workers, for workers. 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.

“I felt proud hearing everyone voting for change in our store,” said Shawn Henley, a Starbucks barista of five months. “I’m so happy that we went through a good fight and made history for ourselves. This made me realize that we are just in the beginning phase of change and growth as a store.”