Alendra "Len" Harris, a former Starbucks barista in Superior, Colorado, was fired in 2022 after leading a successful effort to unionize the store.
Despite a judge ruling last year that Starbucks owed them back pay, Harris remains in financial limbo, still waiting for the settlement to be paid out.
The prolonged delay has left Harris struggling to make ends meet.
The Firing and Unemployment Struggles
Alendra "Len" Harris was fired in 2022 after leading a unionization effort at the Starbucks in Superior, Colorado.
The firing followed a period of organizing to improve working conditions and wages at the store.
It took 12 weeks for Harris’s unemployment claim to be processed, but it was denied, leaving Harris without any income during that time.
Six months after losing their job, Harris found another position but continues to wait for the back pay owed to them, which is estimated at around $70,000.
This delay has left Harris facing significant financial strain, making it difficult to cover basic living expenses such as rent and groceries, and delaying plans for a necessary medical surgery.
Settlement Delays and Transition to Community Organizing
A judge ruled that Starbucks owed Harris about $70,000 in back pay, but more than a year later, the settlement remains pending.
The delay has created significant financial strain, affecting Harris’s ability to afford major expenses like housing and medical care.
Despite these setbacks, Harris has shifted their focus to community organizing.
They now work as a community organizer for unionization efforts with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO).
In this role, Harris advocates for workers’ rights, helping others in similar situations fight for fair wages and better working conditions, all while still waiting on negotiations between Starbucks and Workers United.
