Michelle Eisen & Chris Smalls, Labor’s New Names

For decades it looked as if the US labor movement was dying a slow death. But Michelle Eisen and Chris Smalls are the face of its resurgence. The barista and her fellow organizers have demanded better job protections, more staffing and higher pay that accounts for inflation. They’ve strengthened their cause by mentoring each other on tactics. “It’s the ultimate group project,” Eisen told Bloomberg Businessweek in May. No unionized store has won a new contract, but Starbucks Corp. has instituted pay raises and invested in training and equipment to help make jobs easier. In September the company announced new savings and student loan debt benefits, though it said the law prohibited it from extending them to unionized stores, a claim Starbucks Workers United disputes.

Smalls, who was fired by Amazon in March 2020, was subsequently joined by former co-workers in arguing for better pay, benefits and working conditions; they made their pitch as they offered hot meals at a bus stop near the warehouse. Amazon is seeking to overturn the election result and has refused to bargain with the Amazon Labor Union while its objections are pending. The union, which has struggled to expand its reach outside New York City, has sharpened its focus on improving conditions for workers at its home facility. Other organizers, meanwhile, are pursuing independent drives. The efforts at Starbucks and Amazon have also inspired employees at Chipotle, REI, Trader Joe’s and other companies.