Coming on the heels of a Boston Starbucks finally ending its 64-day strike last week, Starbucks Corporation indicated to Starbucks Workers United union officials that it will be prepared to start labor contract negotiations in October. In a letter sent early this week to the 238 stores that have formally unionized thus far, the company said it looks forward to negotiations and hopes to set dates and locations for contract talks. Union officials have indicated that key job protections such as just cause termination provisions will be top priorities in contract discussions. Workers at the Starbucks in Boston’s Back Bay walked out back on July 11 and picketed the location throughout the summer months, ostensibly over the issue of mandatory increased worker availability. Early last week, the company stated it would not enforce the availability requirement on workers at the striking location, prompting the union to claim victory in the dispute. Starbucks responded that it hadn’t conceded anything the union was misrepresenting the resolution of the issue.