More than 150 Starbucks stores with 3,500 workers to strike ‘over treatment of LGBTQ employees’

More than 150 Starbucks stores with 3,500 workers are set to go on strike next week after a union representing baristas claimed the company ordered them to remove Pride decorations.

The Starbucks Workers United union previously accused the coffee giant of giving in to the backlash and failing to “materially support the LGBTQ+ community” earlier this month.

He said leaders had “banned” stores from displaying rainbow flags and decorations amid Pride month.

Starbucks strongly denied the allegations and denounced the “false information spread”.

But the union, which represents more than 41,000 workers at more than 325 stores, announced on Friday that workers across America would strike over the “hypocritical treatment of LGBTQIA+ workers.”

The Starbucks Workers United union announced Friday that workers across America will strike over the “hypocritical treatment of LGBTQIA+ workers”

He previously accused the coffee giant of giving in to the backlash and failing to “materially support the LGBTQ+ community” earlier this month.

The Starbucks Workers United union took to Twitter to announce the latest strike action to begin at the company’s Seattle Roastery, located just nine blocks from the first-ever Starbucks store at Pike Place Market.

“STRIKE WITH PRIDE!” Seattle Roastery is leading a nationwide Starbucks strike against Starbucks’ hypocritical treatment of LGBTQIA+ workers,’ he wrote.

“More than 150 stores and 3,500 workers will be on strike over the next week.”

More stores are voting on whether to strike, which could reach nearly 200 by the end of the week.

In response to the strikes, a Starbucks spokesperson said: “Workers United continues to spread misinformation about our benefits, policies and bargaining efforts – a tactic used to seemingly divide our partners and distract from their failure to respond. in trading sessions for over 200 stores.’

The union claimed workers in at least 22 states were barred from decorating for Pride Month and pointed to employees’ social media accounts.

He said he filed an unfair labor practice lawsuit against Starbucks for what he claimed was a policy change.

The Starbucks Workers United union says leaders have ‘banned’ stores from displaying rainbow flags and decorations amid Pride month

The latest strike action will begin at the company’s Seattle Roastery, just nine blocks from the first-ever Starbucks store at Pike Place Market. Pictured: A rally outside a store in Buffalo, New York, November 17, 2022

But a Starbucks spokesperson denied the allegations at the time and said: ‘No policy has changed on this and we continue to encourage our store leaders to celebrate with their communities, including for the American pride month in june.

“We are deeply concerned about the misinformation that is being spread, particularly regarding our inclusive store environments, corporate culture and the benefits we provide to our partners.”

But Workers United doubled down on its claims and said: ‘In stores across the country, Starbucks is refusing to let workers decorate for Pride and is also removing Pride flags across the country.

“This is contrary to Starbucks” in previous years, where union stores were allowed to display pride decorations without incident.

“For us, this is clearly a continuation of Starbucks’ anti-union campaign against workers and yet another way of trying to silence queer voices.”

He accused the brand of bowing to pressure, saying “company and district leadership” ordered the removal of their “annual tradition” decorations.

“In unionized stores, where Starbucks claims it is unable to make ‘unilateral changes’ without bargaining, the company has removed Pride decorations and flags anyway – ignoring their own anti-union argument,” the union continued. .

“If Starbucks were a true ally, they would stand up for us, especially in a time when LGBTQ+ people are under attack.

The union claimed workers in at least 22 states were barred from decorating for Pride Month and pointed to employees’ social media accounts.

“A company that cares would not turn its back on the LGBTQ+ community to protect its already astronomical profits.”

Not all Starbucks stores on strike had issues with Pride decorations.

Parker Davis, a 21-year-old barista in San Antonio, Texas, said CNBC: ‘There is a large percentage of partners in my store who are part of the LGBTQ community and feel that Starbucks’ continued actions in trying to limit or remove pride decorations just don’t make sense with this that the company has done in the past.’

He does not know if the store will be able to open during the strikes.

Stock company Starbucks was down about 2% at $99.02 in premarket trading after the strikes were announced.

The coffee giant, which operates around 9,000 US company-owned locations, has seen employees at more than 300 stores vote to unionize since late 2021, demanding better wages and benefits.