KANSAS CITY, Mo. — What started as a union effort last summer for Starbucks workers in New York state has arrived in the Kansas City metro.

Dozens of Starbucks employees crowded in front of a location on the Country Club Plaza to protest Thursday.

“Communicating with respect is when partners get a seat at the table,” Starbucks employee Josh said. “Starbucks corporation behavior has been telling partners to vote no for the union.”

Some employees for the multibillion-dollar corporation said they want to unionize.

More than 100 stores, including two in the KC area, petitioned to unionize and signed union authorization cards.

The Plaza and an Overland Park location are organizing with Workers United so they can negotiate as a unit.

“We as workers, especially in customer service, must always produce an experience for the customer that’s dictated by the owner,” Josh said. “Now it is time for us to create experiences in our work places not just for the customer, not just for the owner, but for us.”