Unions in Modern America: Outdated Battles, Entry-Level Work
From coal mines to coffee shops
Unions were indispensable in the early 20th century. They fought for child labor bans, the 40-hour work week, overtime pay, and workplace safety. The line “without the coal mines, how will the children help pay the rent?” fit a world where children actually worked to keep families afloat.
Today, those protections are guaranteed by law:
- Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): minimum wage, overtime, child labor restrictions
- Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA): workplace safety enforcement
- Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA): job-protected leave
- National Labor Relations Act (NLRA): right to organize and bargain collectively
We are not in the coal miner era anymore. The legal framework already provides the protections unions once fought for.
Starbucks barista work is entry-level by design
Barista work is not skilled labor in the sense of electricians, plumbers, or other certified trades. It is entry-level service work:
- Standardized recipes and printed labels reduce memorization to following instructions.
- Consistent workflows make the role closer to an assembly line than a craft.
- Experience improves speed, but the skill ceiling is low relative to licensed trades that require formal training, certification, and demonstrated expertise.
This matters because the claim that baristas are “underpaid” ignores the nature and purpose of the role: entry-level, stepping-stone work, not a family-supporting career track on its own.
Starbucks benefits are already generous for part-timers
Starbucks offers one of the strongest benefit packages in retail and food service, available to part-time employees who average 20 hours per week:
- Healthcare, dental, and vision insurance
- Mental health support, including therapy sessions and app access
- Paid parental leave, plus fertility and adoption benefits
- 401(k) with company match and stock equity through Bean Stock
- College Achievement Plan with 100% tuition coverage for online bachelor’s degrees at Arizona State University
- Perks such as in-store discounts and weekly free coffee or tea
Eligibility is tied to maintaining an average of 20 hours per week over the review period. Benefits typically begin after a short waiting period once the threshold is met.
The union push looks like membership growth, not worker need
Workers at Starbucks already operate under robust federal protections and receive benefits that outpace most entry-level roles. The union’s headline promise is higher pay, but the approach is typically seniority-based rather than skill-based.
Starbucks bargaining update (2025):
- Starbucks reported that Workers United proposed pay increases of 65% immediately and 77% over three years, with additional payments tied to conditions like working weekends or handling inventory.
- These proposals were framed broadly, not tied to individual performance metrics.
Implications of this approach:
- Pay rises with tenure, not demonstrated value or productivity.
- High performers are flattened into the same scale as less productive colleagues.
- Compensation flexibility shrinks, making it harder to reward merit.
Seniority systems are lawful and common in union contracts, but they prioritize time served over value added. That’s a poor fit for entry-level service roles where performance and reliability matter more than tenure.
Union dues: the math for baristas
Union dues are often in the range of 1.5–2% of pay. For a barista earning $18/hour:
- $18/hour × 20 hours/week × 52 weeks = $18,720 per year
- 1.5% dues ≈ $281 per year
- 2.0% dues ≈ $374 per year
If the negotiated contract largely mirrors existing benefits and standardizes pay without performance differentiation, the dues become a straightforward reduction in take-home pay.
Comparison: Starbucks vs. typical entry-level benefits
| Category | Starbucks (20+ hours/week) | Typical entry-level roles (non-union) |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance | Available to part-time employees | Often unavailable for part-time |
| Mental health | Dedicated sessions/app access | Limited or none |
| Retirement | 401(k) with company match | 401(k) sometimes available; match varies |
| Equity | Bean Stock for eligible partners | Rare |
| Tuition | 100% ASU online bachelor’s tuition | Rare |
| Parental/family | Paid leave and family-building benefits | Often unpaid or minimal |
| Perks | In-store discounts and weekly product | Modest discounts, limited perks |
This table highlights that Starbucks’ core package already exceeds what many entry-level jobs offer, particularly for part-time workers.
Rejecting the victim narrative and focusing on personal responsibility
Entry-level jobs are stepping stones, not long-term family-supporting roles by themselves. If pay or benefits don’t meet your needs:
- Increase hours (20/week is the threshold for benefits),
- Pick up shifts or pursue a second part-time role, or
- Develop skills that command higher wages in skilled trades or technical fields.
A “living wage” narrative aimed at entry-level service work conflates job purpose with long-term financial goals. The sustainable path is skill development, higher responsibility, and performance-based advancement.
Conclusion
Unions were crucial in the coal miner era; modern law now secures those protections. Starbucks barista work is entry-level and already supported by strong benefits for part-time employees who meet the 20-hour threshold. The recent bargaining push spotlights broad, seniority-driven wage proposals that are not tied to individual performance, which misaligns incentives in entry-level service work.
For workers, the path forward is personal responsibility and skill growth. Use Starbucks’ benefits—healthcare, tuition, retirement—to build momentum, then move into roles where compensation reflects skill, certification, and value. Entry-level jobs are stepping stones; treat them as such.