STARBUCKS workers in three New York outlets could become the first in the global coffee chain to form a union after filing papers with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) earlier this week.

Employees at the stores in the Buffalo region of New York state said they wanted to unionise, citing a chaotic work environment, erratic hours and difficulty in taking sick leave during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The workers, numbering between 20 and 30 in each of the three outlets, penned an open letter to Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson on behalf of the Starbucks Workers United organising committee.