Free Republic

... KEY FACTS Since calling the strike on November 13, the company’s highly trafficked “Red Cup Day” when it gives away free reusable coffee cups to customers, Starbucks Workers United reports new stores have been added to its strike list each passing week, now totaling 120 stores. SWU claims that baristas in 550 unionized stores are prepared to continue escalating the strike until Starbucks delivers a fair union contract and resolves hundreds of unfair labor practices charges. Since the strike began, Starbucks has disputed the number of stores impacted, claiming many stores on the strike list never closed and others...

MAXIMILLIAN ALVAREZ: By the time you hear this, Starbucks workers in over 25 cities across the country may be on strike. Last week, a super majority of unionized baristas with Starbucks Workers United voted to authorize an unfair labor practice strike ahead of the holiday season. The strike would begin on Thursday Nov. 13, on so-called Red Cup Day, Starbucks’s annual corporate holiday. ... MICHELLE EISEN: Yes, thanks so much for having me. Last week, we announced that 92% of union workers voted to authorize a strike, should the company not respond to our multiple requests for them to return...

KEY POINTS * Starbucks Workers United says it is adding more than two dozen new cities and stores to its strike count, brining the total to 95 stores in 65 cities. * The union, which began organizing in 2021, has threatened the “largest, longest” strike in company history. It began on Nov. 13 and is open-ended. * Starbucks and the union entered into mediation in February, and hundreds of barista delegates voted down the economic package Starbucks proposed in April. * Both sides have pointed blame at the other for failure to reach a bargaining agreement, and say they’re ready...

New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani encouraged his more than 1 million X followers this week to boycott Starbucks. "Starbucks workers across the country are on an Unfair Labor Practices strike, fighting for a fair contract," the 34-year-old wrote on Thursday. "While workers are on strike, I won’t be buying any Starbucks, and I’m asking you to join us. Together, we can send a powerful message: No contract, no coffee." On the same day, Starbucks Workers United, a union representing workers at the coffee giant, announced it was going on an open-ended strike in what is being dubbed the "Red Cup...

SAO PAULO, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Brazilian deforestation linked to coffee crops hit 737,000 hectares (1.8 million acres) between 2002 and 2023, according to a report on Wednesday that warned negative environmental impacts from forest loss could affect the country's coffee industry. Direct deforestation - where land was cleared to grow coffee - led to some 312,803 hectares being torn down over the period, Coffee Watch said in its report, adding that the rest came from additional forest loss on coffee farms.

Brian Niccol, I call on you to bargain a fair contract with Starbucks Workers United baristas! I support Starbucks baristas in their fight for a union and a fair contract, and pledge not to cross the picket line. That means I will not patronize any Starbucks store when baristas are on strike. Why is this important? Baristas are the most important part of the Starbucks experience. Baristas open the stores every morning and close them every night. They greet customers, make the coffee, clean up the spills, and remember customers’ names and favorite orders. Yet, it’s too hard for baristas...

Starbucks just closed hundreds of locations, and while that's bad news for coffee drinkers, it could be even worse for the housing market... This is because of the 'Starbucks effect' — the phenomenon where the coffee chain's presence is associated with rising property values and a perception of neighborhood affluence. A Zillow study found that homes within a quarter-mile of a Starbucks appreciated far faster than those farther away — jumping 96 percent to $269,000 over 17 years, compared to a 65 percent rise to $168,000 for the average U.S. home — suggesting the coffee giant tends to move into...

For years, Starbucks has been circling the "go woke, go broke" drain, and they've been trying to reverse course: ending their open bathrooms policy, going back to plastic straws, and even reportedly disallowing pride decorations. They've tried everything short of not burning their beans or lowering the price of their drinks to lure back the other half of the country they spurned and have only managed to upset the folks still going to Starbucks. Now according to CNN, Starbucks has announced massive layoffs and store closures. Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol announced Thursday that Starbucks will close hundreds of stores this...

Hundreds of Starbucks baristas across the country have been left without jobs, following the coffeehouse’s recently announced decision to close 1% of its stores — roughly 400, in total — in North America this month. The move to shutter these locations, according to Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol, is part of a larger $1 billion restructuring plan. The coffee chain will also be laying off 900 corporate employees as a result. “Each year, we open and close coffeehouses for a variety of reasons, from financial performance to lease expirations. This is a more significant action that we understand will impact partners...

Kroger employee terminated after admitting to writing message, Starbucks calls act 'unacceptable' An Ohio woman ordered Charlie Kirk’s go-to Starbucks drink on Sunday evening — and was startled to find a hateful message written on the cup. Autumn Perkins, who lives in Middletown, Ohio, visited a Starbucks location inside Kroger and run by Kroger to order the mint majesty with two honeys. When she received her order, she was shocked to see that an employee had written "racist’s fav drink" on the side of the cup. "It's time for people to stop this nonsense," Perkins told Fox News Digital. After...

The Café Grumpy owner apologized and said employee's actions violated company policyA New Jersey man says he was denied service and insulted by a barista at a New York City coffee shop after walking in wearing a MAGA hat on the morning of Sept. 11. Anthony Pullis, 31, stopped at New York City coffee chain Café Grumpy in the Financial District on his way to the 9/11 memorial ceremony at Ground Zero. He wore a red "Make America Great Again" hat, along with a photo of his late father, Edward Pullis, pinned to his shirt pocket. His father worked in...

... The employees, who are backed by the union organizing Starbucks' workers, filed class-action lawsuits in state court in Illinois and Colorado. Workers also filed complaints with California’s Labor and Workforce Development Agency. If the agency decides not to seek penalties against Starbucks, the workers intend to file a class-action lawsuit in California, according to the complaints. ... “As part of this change, and to ensure out partners were prepared, partners received two shirts at no cost,” the company said Wednesday. Starbucks refers to its employees as “partners.” Starbucks’ new dress code went into effect on May 12. It requires...

As a macchiato devotee for many years, I have a few ideas on what a true version of the drink should be. It's one of those espresso drinks that's often misunderstood, even amongst Starbucks baristas. Depending on location, there's about a 50/50 chance of having to very politely request a re-do. The first thing to realize is that an authentic Italian macchiato consists of merely 2 espresso shots "marked" with a dash of frothy milk -- thus the name "macchiato," which means "marked" or "stained" in Italian. There's no caramel in the equation… But Starbucks has its own interpretations of...

Hundreds of Starbucks baristas have walked out of stores in protest of a new dress code policy, which the union, Starbucks Workers United, claims was implemented without proper bargaining. Yes FReepers you read that correctly...A DRESS CODE.

Cult coffee chain Starbucks has sparked uproar among Gen Z workers after drastically changing their uniform. In a video posted to X, Starbucks union workers in Seattle can be seen marching on management in response to the new dress code. The clip was captioned, “Starbucks workers across the country are facing understaffing, inaccessible benefits, discrimination, and low wages. “Instead of fixing these issues, Starbucks decided to introduce an unpopular, more conservative dress code.” A barista wearing a bandana and a party hat can be seen addressing management, saying, “I don’t understand how [the dress code] is in good faith of...

America should not run on fast food. A recent ranking from Eat This, Not That shared the least healthy menu items — ranked from bad to worst — from some of your favorite fast food chains that you should steer clear of. Some honorable mentions include the fried rice side from Panda Express and the bacon, sausage egg wrap from Starbucks. KFC’s Nashville hot loaded fries bowl, the cobb salad from Chick-fil-A, and the beast sub from Subway also made an appearance on this unhealthy list. The sausage patty breakfast crunchwrap from Taco Bell is another bad option. Avoid the...

Starbucks plans to lay off 1,100 corporate employees globally as new Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol streamlines operations. In a letter to employees released Monday, Niccol said the company will inform employees who are being laid off by mid-day Tuesday. Niccol said Starbucks is also eliminating several hundred open and unfilled positions. "Our intent is to operate more efficiently, increase accountability, reduce complexity and drive better integration," Niccol wrote in the letter.

Woke is dying and you love to see it. Global coffee chain Starbucks announced that, after nearly seven years, it would be ending its "open door" policy and instead require visitors to make purchases if they want to remain in the stores or use the bathrooms. From CBS News: The new rules reverse an open-door policy put in place in 2018, after two Black men were arrested at a Philadelphia Starbucks where they had gone for a business meeting. The incident at that individual store, which had a policy of asking non-paying customers to leave, was caught on video and...

Starbucks is reversing its open-door policy after almost seven years, now requiring that people make a purchase if they want to hang out at its coffee shops or use its restrooms. The coffee giant said on Monday that a new code of conduct – which will be posted in all company-owned North American stores – will also ban discrimination or harassment, consumption of outside alcohol, smoking, vaping, drug use and panhandling. The new rules reverse an open-door policy put in place in 2018, after two Black men were arrested at a Philadelphia Starbucks where they had gone for a business...

Costco Wholesale faces an upcoming proxy battle brought by the National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR), challenging its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) program. ... Asking Costco to objectively and rigorously study the risks associated with its DEI policies and practices is compelling. NCPPR’s proposal cites the $25.6 million judgment against Starbucks after a Federal Court found race discrimination played a part in the firing of a white former Starbucks regional manager. Given Costco’s reporting on the makeup of its 310,000 employee base, NCPPR figures it has at least 200,000 employees who might claim illegal discrimination because they are...