Former Starbucks Barista Still Awaiting Settlement After Winning Legal Case Against Company
Colorado, [Date] – Alendra "Len" Harris, a former barista at Starbucks in Superior, is experiencing frustration nearly a year after a judge ruled in their favor, declaring that their termination for union organizing was unlawful. Despite the favorable ruling, Harris has yet to receive approximately $70,000 in back pay owed to them by the coffee giant, creating significant financial strain.
After leading a unionization effort at Starbucks, Harris was dismissed in 2022, a troubling circumstance compounded by a denied unemployment claim. "It took 12 weeks for [the state] to process my unemployment claim, and then it was denied," Harris recalled. "A lot of people don’t realize how close they are to even being homeless.” Despite the setback, Harris found other employment six months later but had hoped to receive their back pay much sooner than the current delay.
Having opted for an out-of-court settlement, Harris expressed dismay, stating, “I thought that at the very least, [the settlement] would be rectified within six to eight months.” Instead, they remain in limbo, still unresolved as negotiations continue between Starbucks and the union, Workers United, which represents over 500 unionized stores still without contracts.
In the face of these challenges, Harris’s experience has ignited a newfound determination to advocate for workers’ rights, now serving as a community organizer with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). "My current position highlights how much workers are not getting what they need on a regular basis," Harris noted.
As constituents await a response from Starbucks regarding this issue, Alendra Harris’s story stands as a testament to the ongoing struggle for workers’ rights and fair wages.