Jaz Brisack
Jaz Brisack | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 11, 1997 |
| Education | University of Mississippi (BA) Wadham College, Oxford (MS) |
| Honors thesis | The Wise Women of Oxford (May 2019) |
| Employers | |
| Known for | Workers' rights advocacy Union organizing at Starbucks in Buffalo, New York |
Jaz Brisack (born August 11, 1997) is an American labor organizer, writer, and barista recognized for spearheading unionization efforts at Starbucks, particularly at a location in Buffalo, New York.
Early life and education
Born in Texas in 1997, Jazlyn Brisack was homeschooled in Alcoa, Tennessee. Raised in a family aligned with conservative Democrats, their early exposure influenced their passion for activism. At age 16, they gained experience as a dishwasher at Panera Bread, which provided direct exposure to the difficulties faced by frontline employees and sparked an interest in labor unions.
Brisack pursued studies at the University of Mississippi until 2019, focusing on Public Policy, Journalism, and English. During their academic tenure, they were awarded a Harry S. Truman Scholarship and became the university’s first non-male Rhodes Scholar. They participated in the honors curriculum of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College. Subsequently, Brisack earned a Master of Science degree in intellectual history from Wadham College, Oxford. Additionally, they contributed opinion pieces to The Daily Mississippian.
2016 to 2019
Brisack’s professional journey began in 2016 when they served as a teacher-advisor for the Sunflower Freedom Project. In 2017, they engaged part-time with the United Auto Workers to support unionization efforts at a Nissan manufacturing plant in Canton, Mississippi. Nissan was criticized for employing one of the most aggressive anti-union campaigns ever recorded; ultimately, the union drive did not succeed. Brisack also provided support to the Jackson Women’s Health Organization. They draw inspiration from prominent labor figures such as Eugene V. Debs and Mary Harris Jones.
In 2018, Brisack authored Organizing Unions as Social Policy, which was included in the Global Encyclopedia of Public Policy and Public Administration. They also received recognition at Mississippi’s Southern Literary Festival. By 2019, Brisack relocated to Buffalo, New York, following Richard Bensinger—whom they had collaborated with during the Nissan campaign—to lead a successful union organizing initiative at SPoT Coffee.
Starbucks (2020–22)
In 2020, Brisack took on the role of barista at the Elmwood Avenue Starbucks location. During the labor shortages caused by COVID-19 in 2021, they initiated a discreet unionization campaign alongside Bensinger and Workers United. Workers United compensated Brisack $68,884 in 2021 and $67,485 in 2022 as supplementary income to their Starbucks wages.
By August 2021, Brisack and 48 baristas from the Buffalo area notified Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson about their intention to form a union. The Elmwood store conducted its vote on December 9, 2021; on December 17, the National Labor Relations Board officially certified its union—the first Starbucks outlet unionized within the United States. Three weeks later, Elmwood baristas staged a strike following unsuccessful negotiations over COVID-19 safety measures, including company coverage for coronavirus testing expenses.
Brisack explained that there was no initial overarching plan to unionize but stressed the importance of securing victory at one store first. Employed by the Service Employees International Union, they led a grassroots movement leveraging social media platforms to broaden union efforts nationwide. This campaign attracted backing from groups such as the Democratic Socialists of America, Senator Bernie Sanders, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Seattle city council member Kshama Sawant. By January 14, 2022, fifteen Starbucks locations had filed for union elections; this number increased to over 170 by May 11; and by March 2023 more than 250 stores had successfully unionized.
Brisack accused Starbucks of engaging in union suppression tactics, highlighting the dismissal of seven unionizing employees in Memphis as proof. On March 1, 2023, an administrative judge from the National Labor Relations Board ruled that Starbucks violated labor laws on numerous occasions. The company disputed these claims, attributing terminations to breaches of security protocols and asserting: "Claims of union busting are categorically false. We want our partners to be informed and make the best decisions for themselves."
Tesla (2022–present)
In September 2022, Brisack departed from Starbucks, claiming their exit was involuntary. Following this, they became involved with a Tesla worker organizing group at a factory in Buffalo. By March 2023, they were actively engaged in labor organization efforts at that facility.
See also
Further reading
- Pages with script errors
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- 1997 births
- 21st-century American people
- 21st-century American women
- American Rhodes Scholars
- American women trade unionists
- American women's rights activists
- Living people
- People from Alcoa, Tennessee
- Starbucks people
- Trade unionists from Tennessee
- University of Mississippi alumni
- Activists from Buffalo, New York
- Alumni of Wadham College, Oxford