Posted on 06/05/2022 6:14:29 AM PDT by Libloather
The workers union at Starbucks is claiming the coffee chain is shutting down a recently unionized cafe in retaliation for its activist efforts.
It’s the latest escalation between a rapidly growing national labor movement and the coffee giant.
Workers United, the union that’s backing organizing efforts at Starbucks, said in a Friday filing with the National Labor Relations Board that Starbucks is violating federal labor law by permanently closing an Ithaca, New York, store. The group alleged it was in retaliation since employees at the location voted to unionize in April.
The Ithica store employees say they originally went on strike for unsafe working conditions on Apr. 16. Workers walked out due to a waste emergency caused by the overflowing grease trap, according to the union’s statement. In an email to the union’s bargaining committee, Starbucks cited the grease trap as the reason for the store closure.
The union committee alleges that Starbucks closed the store in retaliation for activity protected by federal labor law and to stop workers elsewhere from organizing. “It is a clear attempt to scare workers across the country by retaliating against its own employees,” the committee said in a statement.
Starbucks said that it opens and closes stores “as a regular part” of its operations. “Our goal is to ensure that every partner is supported in their individual situation, and we have immediate opportunities available in the market,” a Starbucks spokesperson said in an email to CNBC.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnbc.com ...
In Soviet America, store owns you.
I don’t know anything about grease traps . I would think that it would be something that could be cleared out or even repiped if need be. I look forward to any enlightenment on grease traps.
Proud to never have visited a Starbucks store. Why? I’ve never read any good reviews about their products. Burned coffee, stale bagels, etc.
When it is "decided" that it is more of a public accommodation than a business. There are two obvious factors: A unionized, or union-sympathetic group of workers at the particular store location, and "racism" because closing it might create a "latte desert."
The unionized cafe IS a grease trap.
30 years ago I was a mgr of a FF restaurant. The grease trap was the nastiest, smelliest job to do. There were 2 grease traps. One under the wash sink where all the equipment was washed. Another one was buried in the parking lot. The one under the sink would fill up as grease was washed down the drain as you washed the equipment. It’s purpose was to keep the grease from making it to the city sewage system. It would fill up with 50 pounds of grease and you would have to empty it and put it in with the cooking oil recycling tank. You could have a plumber do it for $150 (in 1980) or do it yourself in about 30 minutes. The smell was incredible. Had to set up fans and open doors to try to keep the smell from the rest of the restaurant.
Next is the parking lot grease trap. This one also is supposed to keep the grease from the city sewage system. This one held 1000 gallons or so. Had to be pumped out by an grease recycling company on a regular basis also.
I don’t know how much it cost for this.
However, you did not want to skimp on this service because the city would investigate grease clogs in their system and they could narrow it down to your restaurant. You would then be fined thousands of dollars and have to pay to have the sewer system cleaned from your restaurant to a point where the grease level was “acceptable” to the city because they figured it was your restaurant the clogged it up along the way. Of course, you could fight this if you could prove that your tanks were cleaned on a regular basis and the level of grease had not reached the top and therefore could not have overflowed into their system.
That’s getting into too much detail. So if this Starbucks had a grease trap problem, I could see where it might be cheaper to close it down then pay the fines and repair work especially if it’s a recurring problem.
Thank you for the insight.
Laws are only applicable to peasants, like you and me. The elites (and sycophants) have ruled that everything is illegal if they say it is so.
Kinda like BeijingBiden’s EOrders.
As to closing for retaliation. So F**ing what? You TWOT’s got a minimum wage and union fees, etc. If that makes the shop unprofitable, it closes.
Kinda like that girl rejected you ‘cause you were an obvious worthless waste of her time. Same mechanism.
This article describes the accumulation of fats and grease in the city sewer systems that cause blockages, or even waste backing up into streets and homes:
What is a Fatberg? The Gross Grease Giants Threatening Cities
If the local coffee shop has awarded you “Employee of the Month” and you don’t even work there, you may be drinking too much coffee.
Spouse #1: Honey, this coffee tastes like dirt.
Spouse #2: That’s not surprising, dear, it was just ground this morning.
There are two types of people in this world: People who love Starbucks and liars. (obviously too much coffee)
Q: How does a tech guy drink coffee?
A: He installs Java!
Q: What’s the technical name for a pot of coffee at work?
A: Break fluid
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