The unions want to drop Starbucks as the official coffee partner of the Olympics

The union representing Starbucks workers filed a complaint with the International Olympic Committee on Monday, opposing the popular chain’s role as the “official coffee partner” of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

The Starbucks workers’ union argued in the complaint that Starbucks’ treatment of U.S. workers seeking to unionize and bargain — as well as allegations of forced labor overseas — is inconsistent with the ethics of the Olympic Games.

The 22-page complaint cites findings by federal labor regulators in recent years that the company unlawfully retaliated against employees, failed to bargain with the union, and took other actions in a “severe campaign of intimidation and harassment” to force workers to exercise their right to organize.

It also highlights legal actions filed in April by Brazilian workers and watchdog groups, alleging that the company’s supply chain relies on human trafficking and “slave-like” labor in Brazil, the world’s largest coffee grower – allegations the company has denied.

Starbucks, which denies the allegations in the complaint, announced its Olympic partnership last month. As part of the deal, it plans to build “specially designed” coffee shops in Olympic and Paralympic villages, and will serve coffee at competition venues, volunteer centers and other venues.

Michelle Eisen, a union spokeswoman and former Starbucks employee, said the company was “fighting” in negotiations. [its] own baristas” and “rocking” the union contract.

“The long pattern of flouting workers’ rights is diametrically opposed to the Olympic spirit, which celebrates human dignity, fairness, solidarity and teamwork,” Aysen said. “Until Starbucks starts playing fair … they have no place in the Olympic Games.”

However, Starbucks insists that the union is to blame for stalled contract negotiations by walking out of negotiations over the winter.

“All allegations by the United States of Labor have already been denied and are without merit,” Starbucks spokesman Jesse Anderson said Monday in a response to a request for comment.

Anderson said the company denies allegations of forced labor in Brazil and is committed to ethical sourcing. The company says the coffee farms it serves are fully vetted.

“Our commitment to deal with the United States of America and reach an agreement has not changed,” Anderson said. “We are proud to bring solidarity, culture, community and incredible coffee to the world stage at the LA28 Games.”

The union’s Monday complaint also alleges that Starbucks created a potential conflict of interest by lobbying for the Olympic deal, as prominent former Starbucks board member Melody Hobson also serves on the board of LA28, the Summer Games’ organizing committee.

Anderson said Hobson left the Starbucks board in March, and the Olympic deal was finalized after her departure.

Hobson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Complaints about ethical violations to the International Olympic Committee are analyzed by the committee’s chief ethics and compliance officer, who, in accordance with the group’s procedures, will either refer the complaint to an independent ethics commission to make a recommendation or inform the person or group that made the complaint that no violation of ethics has been found.

Over the years, the games, with billions of dollars in revenue, have sometimes been plagued by corruption and scandal. The IOC created its independent ethics commission in 1999 to promote Salt Lake City’s bid to host the 2002 Winter Games after IOC members were accused of accepting bribes — cash, gifts, travel expenses and even college tuition for members’ children.

The allegations made by the union come amid tense contract negotiations.

A nationwide movement to unionize coffee chains began in 2021, when the first store in the chain won a union election. After years of union-management wrangling, hope grew that Starbucks and unionized baristas would be able to strike a deal as early as 2024, when Starbucks publicly pledged to work with the union. But talks broke down in December, and the union has said in recent months it is preparing for a possible strike.

The complaint marks the latest point of tension between Southern California workers and their employers in the run-up to the LA Olympics.

LA labor groups launched a campaign over the summer for what they called a “New Deal” to get the city and the LA28 Olympic Organizing Committee to invest in the community by building more housing, being more transparent about venue agreements and choosing protections for migrant workers — as well as foreign visitors and fans — from federal raids.

And in the latest battle over pay raises for hotel and airport workers in the city, business groups have launched a petition drive to block the city’s efforts to raise hourly wages for tourism workers to $30 for the 2028 Olympics. But in early September the business group failed to secure the minimum number of valid signatures required for their initiative to qualify for the ballot.