Three Starbucks coffee shops in Buffalo, in the north of New York state, could become the first branches of the retail coffee giant to unionize in the United States. The ballots have been cast, and employees will learn the outcome later on Thursday. Steve Boyd, a customer who gets his coffee at one of these branches every morning, says he supports the initiative. "The best way to find people to work is to give them fair wages and fair working conditions," he says. "And so if unionizing supports that, then I support these people." IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES