Marchers with Starbucks paraded through the iconic intersection of Hollywood and Highland during the annual Pride Parade in Los Angeles on June 12, 2022 (David Mcnew | Getty Images).
Strikes have begun at certain Starbucks stores in Seattle, following a public dispute between the coffee giant and the baristas’ union over claims of the company not allowing Pride month decor in cafes. The union, Starbucks Workers United, has announced that over 150 stores, employing nearly 3,500 workers, have committed to the strikes, which will occur over the next week. Additionally, more stores are voting on strike authorizations, potentially increasing the count to almost 200 stores by the end of the week.
The union accused dozens of U.S. stores of preventing employees from decorating for Pride month, implying that a backlash against LGBTQ+ inclusion had reached even the perceived liberal bastion of corporate America. Starbucks, however, stated that it had not changed its guidelines for store decorations.
Starbucks clarified, “There has been no change to any policy on this matter, and we continue to encourage our store leaders to celebrate with their communities, including U.S. Pride month in June.” The company emphasized its unwavering support for the LGBTQ+ community and mentioned that individual store leaders and employees have the freedom to make decorating decisions within the guidelines outlined in the company’s security and safety manuals.
In response to the strike pledges, the company added, “Workers United continues to spread false information about our benefits, policies, and negotiation efforts—a tactic used to seemingly divide our partners and deflect from their failure to respond to bargaining sessions for more than 200 stores.”
Starbucks shared a letter from its VP of Partner Resources, May Jensen, addressed to Workers United President Lynne Fox on its website. The letter, dated June 14, demanded that the union “cease from knowingly misleading partners.”
The union, Workers United, has alleged instances in 22 states where workers were unable to decorate, pointing to social media accounts that documented their claims. They have filed an unfair labor practice charge against Starbucks for what they believe is a policy change. Some of the upcoming strikes are connected to this claim. However, not all stores participating in the strikes had issues related to Pride decor.
Parker Davis, a 21-year-old barista in San Antonio, Texas, who works at a store unaffected by the Pride decor dispute, expressed their support for the strikes. Davis highlighted the importance of the message being sent by the strikes and stated that “Starbucks’ continued actions with trying to limit or take down pride decorations just doesn’t make sense with what the company has done in the past.” The extent to which the store will be affected by the strike remains uncertain.
The controversy surrounding Pride month decorations coincides with previous instances where major brands like Target and Bud Light faced opposition over their support for the LGBTQ+ community. These companies encountered criticism from conservative consumers for their partnerships with and merchandise for transgender individuals, as well as backlash from more liberal customers for seemingly bowing to the critics’ demands.
In Oklahoma, Starbucks workers were told that restrictions on decorating were implemented due to safety concerns following recent attacks at Target stores, according to the union.
Apart from the Pride decor dispute, Starbucks workers are also striking because they feel the company is dragging its feet on negotiating contracts. Workers United accused Starbucks of stalling negotiations and stated that the company has not shown willingness to meet in the middle. Starbucks countered by claiming that Workers United has only responded to a quarter of the proposed bargaining sessions, out of more than 450, to date. However, Starbucks reiterated its commitment to progressing negotiations toward a first contract.
The strike began at the roastery in Seattle, which did not experience any Pride decor conflicts but joined the strikes in solidarity. Multiple unionized employees protested outside the store, leading to its temporary closure. Mari Cosgrove, a barista at the Seattle location, expressed the importance of solidarity with workers who have faced discrimination within the company. Cosgrove emphasized that it feels like an attack when the Pride flags are removed, as the partners in these stores appreciate being seen and consider Starbucks a community space. Since the initial filing in August 2021, more than 300 company-owned stores have voted to unionize, but Starbucks and Workers United have yet to reach a contract agreement.
Starbucks operates over 9,000 company-owned locations across the United States.
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