Starbucks has been feeling the heat lately as more of its store locations have begun to unionize.
Employees have even taken to TikTok on a page called "Starbucks Workers United," or @SBWorkersUnited on TikTok, to express their grievances and give fellow TikTokers a sneak peek into their protests.
But an alarming number of union leaders have been fired by Starbucks in the last few months.
According to one of the videos on the protest page, more than 75 employees who were also union leaders have been fired from Starbucks locations across the country, 20 of whom were fired in just the last two weeks.
One of the most recently fired union leaders was Sam Amato, who worked at the Buffalo, New York, location. He worked at Starbucks for more than 13 years.
The store first began its unionizing process in March 2022.
Starbucks attempted to claim Amato was terminated from his position because he closed the store's lobby without having permission to do so, but fellow employees felt that was a weak excuse.
Amato later confirmed he did not close the lobby.
"I was fired because I was a union leader at my store. My manager couldn't even explain to me why they were firing me. She couldn't even look me in the eye."
After Amato was fired, all of the employees walked out of the store with him as a sign of protest, cardboard signs in hand.
A TikTok video captured the moment, first showing two young women waiting at the main counter for coffee orders. In the background, a series of employees could be seen walking out the front door with cardboard signs tucked under their arms.
Amato appeared to be among them, head slightly bowed from the news, and a paper rolled up in his hand, likely his termination paperwork.
At the very end of the video, the manager of the store could be seen walking out of the back room, already urgently calling someone about the walkout.
The video was captioned:
"Starbucks, is this what you want to be known for?"
A text overlay on the video read:
"When your entire store walks out after management unjustly fires your coworker for being a union leader."
You can watch the video here:
TikTok was in total support of these Starbucks employees walking out and working toward unionizing.
@sbworkersunited/TikTok
@sbworkersunited/TikTok
@sbworkersunited/TikTok
@sbworkersunited/TikTok
@sbworkersunited/TikTok
@sbworkersunited/TikTok
@sbworkersunited/TikTok
@sbworkersunited/TikTok
@sbworkersunited/TikTok
@sbworkersunited/TikTok
The Buffalo, New York Starbucks location has been closed since Friday due to none of the employees being willing to return to work until Amato is reinstated.
@SecretaryBurgum/X
@Doug Ellin/X
@evanrachelwood/Instagram