Opinion: At Starbucks and beyond, American workers are standing up for themselves

I stopped by my local Starbucks the other day to congratulate the baristas: Theirs is the second Albany-area store to join a union. I said, “Nice work,” but I really meant “Thank you.” They’re helping me face the day with a shot of something more invigorating than coffee: good news. American workers are standing up for themselves in encouraging numbers. More than 300 Starbucks stores nationwide have petitioned the National Labor Relations Board to hold a representation election. In 201 of those stores — across 32 states — pro-union forces have won. Just over 40 have lost.