Electric Chargers for Through Travelers and Starbucks Workers Unionize: Virginia’s Latest Transportation and Labor News

The Virginia Department of Transportation has announced that federal funding will be used to install four new fast electric vehicle chargers outside the Quality Inn hotel near Interstate 81 in Christiansburg. Currently, there are fast chargers in Blacksburg, but they are located 9 miles to the north. These new chargers will be beneficial for through travelers passing by.

To cover the cost of the project, state highway officials have committed $581,209 to Universal EV Chargers of Plano, Texas. Universal EV Chargers will also contribute $403,891 towards the project and will be responsible for constructing the units. This project was one of 18 announced by the Virginia Department of Transportation last month. EV drivers can expect to start using the hotel chargers by the end of the year, according to Universal spokeswoman Megha Thacker.

In other news, Starbucks workers in Christiansburg have recently unionized due to inconsistent and unpredictable scheduling at the store near Interstate 81. Starbucks barista and shift leader Gwynn McCord mentioned that days off are hard to come by in the current system. As a result, workers at the coffee shop voted in favor of unionizing on April 2. With the unionization, they hope to negotiate for a new scheduling system that will provide workers with regular time off for at least a solid month or even a quarter. As more Starbucks locations unionize, management has signaled a willingness to negotiate over important issues for workers. They have held over 500 negotiating sessions and hope to reach ratified agreements for represented stores by 2024.