Frederique Martineau was just 20 years old when she organized her first union, at a Starbucks in Vancouver’s Dunbar neighbourhood, in February.
Months after certifying with the United Steel Workers, the location closed. In October, Martineau was moved to a non-unionized Starbucks’ store at West 16th Avenue and Macdonald Street.
Although her pay remained the same, Martineau, a shift supervisor, was demoted.
“They didn’t give me the keys to the store,” she said.
On Nov. 5, just weeks after starting her new job, a manager sat her down at a high-top next to the toilets, in full view of customers and “partners” — Starbucks-speak for employees — and informed her she was being investigated.
Allegedly, unnamed partners were complaining about her use of profanity, and were uncomfortable with her chatting about unionizing Dunbar, but no specifics were given.
Martineau said she had management’s permission to talk about her union experience, and denied using profanity.
Three days later, after arriving early, doing homework at a table, donning her work shoes and apron and charging the iPads, she was called into a side room, and fired.
“It was retaliation for unionizing,” said Martineau, who is now weighing her options and seeking advice.
Martineau is adamant that she didn’t breach any company policies — she’s a five-year employee with no previous complaints.
“Since I unionized Dunbar, I knew there was a target on me. Why would I do anything to draw attention to myself?”
To the contrary, said Martineau, she was making new friends among the partners, and reconnecting with regular customers displaced from the Dunbar location.
source : Vancouver Sun photo : Arlen Redekop /PNG
