I stopped patronizing Starbucks after they sent me a disgusting reply to my plea to stop union busting. I will never buy from them again. I also canceled my Amazon Prime account. These are small things we can do to help.
What is so hard for management at Starbucks to understand about their 'partners' wanting better pay: a liveable wage? It's insulting to say that they are progressive and will 'support' LGBTQ, Black Lives Matter' people of color etc etc when what they are showing is that they are equal opportunity exploiters, and their big bucks in their own pockets are what they care about most.
What consumers and customers at Starbuck's (and at practically every other retail corporation) don't seem to understand is that the people doing the work, putting in their time, and serving them are NOT (emphatically NOT) partners; those doing the hard work are wage-lackeys and slaves, all other blather to the contrary. Oh, sure, the corporation will tell you that they're important team-members, etc. etc. But when push comes to shove, the less they are paid on an hourly-wage basis, the more they resemble slaves and the less you can say they are partners. If you are a barista or an hourly-wage earner, you count for nothing. What management and the ceos of this world care about is not people (not customers or hourly-wage earners) but profits for the management and the stockholders--and that is it. It is commendable that Starbucks actually chose to hire such articulate, competent, and caring young people as the ones Robert interviewed for the video; it is awful to realize that these young people are working for a concern that could care less. I once worked for a small department store in a nice neighborhood; that store did not have a huge selection; the buyers chose their products with care and in limited quantities. The owner-manager worked alongside the rest of us and he insisted on a fair deal for all his workers. Macy"s and the mall more or less drove us out of business...and then when I joined Macy"s, the rest of such small stores crashed. If I was a partner anywhere in retail, it was at the small local store. If you work at Starbucks or any such corporation, you are not (I repeat NOT) a partner. I am only sorry that people have given their entire work lives to huge corporations as their sacrifice of their time and energies have never been appreciated by the ceo or anyone in the upper echelons. That's the truth.
If we can somehow shift people’s awareness and preferences so they value small businesses we can fight this terrible trend. I would love to see many small establishments such as the one you speak of. I try to patronize as many as possible. I hope everyone here does the same.
Never liked their imaging, anyway. Trying to have this Diva that is queen-like yet 'Earth mother' hip. Their prices take the 'aura' away by being so high and elitist. Can't have it both ways.
Paula B. That's why I have never bought their coffee. Only went in there with my kids when they were getting some coffee for themselves. I have decaf these days, anyway. LOL!
More and more we're hearing about the plight of the real people who make America run... The Kroger's and Starbuck's and Walmart and other similar type workers struggling to survive while their CEO's and upper management, as well as stockholders, thrive. Government can take the lead on helping these people by upping levels of income considered to be poverty, middle class, etc and basing support programs on those higher levels. The numbers are way behind the times of actual costs to live. The "poverty" level of annual income for a family of four averages about $27K/year in 2022. Are you kidding me? That should be the poverty level for a single person living alone. Poverty level, to still receive some government help, for a family of four should be around $35K/year. The minimum wage needs to be raised to at least $15/hour but in some cities, that's still too low because of increased costs.
A thought: If the population of this country were composed of 330 million corporate CEOs, it wouldn't function very well.
So many of the companies that boast of being "job creators" may more accurately be characterized as slave creators. Along this line, Starbucks' union busting efforts don't seem to be about money, since flooding their stores with managers to intimidate baristas means paying extra wages. If Starbucks wants to continue to oppose unions, manager-intimidator will be a long-term position. It may be more about power, the power to trample on the most vulnerable. Corporate leadership recognizes that workers' organizing gives the workers power that might approach their own. I guess they cannot tolerate that idea.
Much of the population of this country have apparently been indoctrinated with the idea that low-level workers, who are essential to our economy, should be overcome with gratitude to have a job at all, and should eagerly accept whatever crumbs are thrown their way. When you or Bernie Sanders post a tweet about inequality, there are always those who rush to defend the CEOs and other super-wealthy individuals in response. It is inspiring that these young people are working to change the narrative.
Truely inspiring . The energy and drive of these abused workers, if harnessed and brought into the 'fold' for their employers would be directed towards higher profits, a better image for the company and an overall better working environment for both labor and management. May I ask where are Marty Walsh and Joe Biden ? If the Democrats want to show the difference between themselves and their Republican counterparts, issues as such are their golden opportunity. If they want to show themselves as 'The Party of The People'? Where better a stage ? And such issues and the firing of those organizers should be considered as high crimes ! It is the lack of proper government involvement in such an example of blatant corporate greed which once again leads me to the notion of we living under a corptocracy rather than a democracy . 'We the people' has morphed into 'We the corporations'. Until our federal and local laws are adjusted to outlaw ALL corporate political donations, access and control over our elected officials, abuses and such blatant corporate GREED shall go on and on . Unfettered capitalism does not work for 'WE THE PEOPLE'. 👊 🇺🇸👊🇺🇸✊️🇺🇸✊️
While I support the effort to unionize Starbucks and other food service workers and the drive for a $15 per hour minimum wage, I am bothered by the fact that hundreds of thousands of skilled tradesmen jobs go begging every day in the US for lack of trained workers. Most of these jobs pay a living wage of much more than $15 per hour.
Two years ago, I hired a self-employed skilled brick mason to do some brick work for $80 per hour plus travel expenses. He was an immigrant from Mexico. He told me that he wanted to hire an assistant, but was unable to find anyone who wanted to do the work or make the effort to learn how. IMHO, there seems to be a stigma against doing work with your hands vice sitting in an office pushing paper.
We have plenty of CEOs, lawyers, administrators, financial advisors, TV talking heads. We need more people who can actually make stuff and be well paid for doing so. The Republicans aren't going to do anything about this problem. It would be nice to see the Democrats propose some ideas on how to solve it.
Great take Tim . My father; electrician, boiler man, pipe fitter, trouble shooter extraordinaire, ww2 submariner, man of few words, outstanding master of his trade, 'The Silent Service',"Loose lips sink ships.", he only spoke when he had something pertinent to say. "Son, it may not happen in my lifetime, but it will happen in yours. You'll wake up one day and realize no one knows s__t anymore ." I believe that prediction is all but upon us. My personal take, and I believe what he was eluding to was the so called dumbing down of America. Where are our technical high schools, trade schools, colleges ? I mean they are out there, but do we funnel our youth down those avenues ? Shouldn't more of an effort to recognize students who gravitate to such careers be made and sharpened ? Again, my take is once again the skewed and warped priorities we follow and instill in our youth as a nation. We sure commercialize the military as an option to them. We sure spend our money on more bombs and weaponry rather than education and trade training ! Time for the rethinking of our expenditures and priorities as a nation and people . And our youth . Our greatest and most precious resource NEEDS to be placed much much higher as a top priority .
Very interesting thoughts, Tim. I believe this is a cultural problem, since plumbers and electricians are very well paid and yet you don’t hear too many people aspiring to join them. (They don’t make stuff per se but they do work with their hands.) Culture is very difficult to change. Some jobs are glamorous and some aren’t. People will sacrifice to be thought cool. I think that’s the issue. What to do about it I haven’t a clue. I would love to hear from people who have experience outside the U.S. on this one.
So grateful for these food service workers! So much sacrifice and effort is going into this and so much more to do. My heart is with them. I would like to know whatever I can do to help.
"That without the occasional revolution democracy dies." The corptocracy, it's greed,gluttony,envy,sloth,hatred,pride and wrath which we live under has all but dismantled our democracy. God love these union organizers and their first step in a long overdue revolution. How about we as Americans join together and boycott Starbutts ? We need no violence. Believe me, but be aware that the corporately planned stirring of violence by the mis and dis information reigned down on us by the corporately owned and corrupted fourth estate awaits us in the wings . Such are the outcomes of our allowances of the likes of Trump and his duped followers. The oligarchy and the facistic nature of he and his. The average American has far more in common with these Starbucks employees than we realize. We NEED a Ghandiesk revolution. Organized mass product and service boycotts aimed at the perpetrators of these atrocities. They have no problem getting into your pocket ! Time to turn it around and hit them in theirs ! IT IS TIME TO WAKE UP AMERICA ! See our nation for what WE allow it to become ! ! BOYCOTT STARBUCKS ! ! Boycott them today ! !
I'm going to urge my former Carpenters' union to support the unionizing of Starbucks. I'd also like to congratulate these wonderful women, Jaz, Rachel and Michele. If I had a daughter like them (I have no children) I'd be infinitely proud!
This does give me hope! At least these kids understand history! I don’t think they are getting the majority of their information from schools but perhaps their history teachers are liberals! The right wing is attempting to stamp out dissent by leaving out whole chunks of history! Howard Zinn’s history should be required reading for even these baristas! Perhaps the oral tradition is teaching these kids! You go baristas!!!
Inspired and inspiring! And while we’re at it- why is $15 an hour considered a good wage. Shouldn’t it be at least $30 and why is 8 hours considered a working day. Why not 6- seems more reasonable given human capabilities.
Thanks. I've already "voted with my feet" regarding Starbucks except that I'm already too cheap to go to coffee shops much. We don't have a Krogers near me. Many retailers have both macro and micro monopoly/oligopoly powers especially over those with less economic resources and mobility. Can you recommend any app or other good compilation of businesses to boycott as possible on grounds of worker exploitation and other ESG type criteria? If not, that seems like a great opportunity for a non-profit or for-profit.
On a somewhat related note, what do you think about any doable road to replacing required/incentivized employer-paid healthcare, which can limit worker power and mobility and be gamed, while not having this be replaced by a worse system.
Definitely support Medicare for all. Ady Barkan’s organization Be a Hero is deeply involved in that and can always use support. Also I suggest patronizing local farmers’ markets, which are great fun. Just remember to bring a cart so you don’t Injure yourself by carrying heavy bags around and need physical therapy like I did.
I stopped patronizing Starbucks after they sent me a disgusting reply to my plea to stop union busting. I will never buy from them again. I also canceled my Amazon Prime account. These are small things we can do to help.
Paula B. ; You go girl!
What is so hard for management at Starbucks to understand about their 'partners' wanting better pay: a liveable wage? It's insulting to say that they are progressive and will 'support' LGBTQ, Black Lives Matter' people of color etc etc when what they are showing is that they are equal opportunity exploiters, and their big bucks in their own pockets are what they care about most.
What consumers and customers at Starbuck's (and at practically every other retail corporation) don't seem to understand is that the people doing the work, putting in their time, and serving them are NOT (emphatically NOT) partners; those doing the hard work are wage-lackeys and slaves, all other blather to the contrary. Oh, sure, the corporation will tell you that they're important team-members, etc. etc. But when push comes to shove, the less they are paid on an hourly-wage basis, the more they resemble slaves and the less you can say they are partners. If you are a barista or an hourly-wage earner, you count for nothing. What management and the ceos of this world care about is not people (not customers or hourly-wage earners) but profits for the management and the stockholders--and that is it. It is commendable that Starbucks actually chose to hire such articulate, competent, and caring young people as the ones Robert interviewed for the video; it is awful to realize that these young people are working for a concern that could care less. I once worked for a small department store in a nice neighborhood; that store did not have a huge selection; the buyers chose their products with care and in limited quantities. The owner-manager worked alongside the rest of us and he insisted on a fair deal for all his workers. Macy"s and the mall more or less drove us out of business...and then when I joined Macy"s, the rest of such small stores crashed. If I was a partner anywhere in retail, it was at the small local store. If you work at Starbucks or any such corporation, you are not (I repeat NOT) a partner. I am only sorry that people have given their entire work lives to huge corporations as their sacrifice of their time and energies have never been appreciated by the ceo or anyone in the upper echelons. That's the truth.
If we can somehow shift people’s awareness and preferences so they value small businesses we can fight this terrible trend. I would love to see many small establishments such as the one you speak of. I try to patronize as many as possible. I hope everyone here does the same.
You can’t even afford to buy their coffee on that. What’s wrong with this picture?
Never liked their imaging, anyway. Trying to have this Diva that is queen-like yet 'Earth mother' hip. Their prices take the 'aura' away by being so high and elitist. Can't have it both ways.
Paula B. That's why I have never bought their coffee. Only went in there with my kids when they were getting some coffee for themselves. I have decaf these days, anyway. LOL!
More and more we're hearing about the plight of the real people who make America run... The Kroger's and Starbuck's and Walmart and other similar type workers struggling to survive while their CEO's and upper management, as well as stockholders, thrive. Government can take the lead on helping these people by upping levels of income considered to be poverty, middle class, etc and basing support programs on those higher levels. The numbers are way behind the times of actual costs to live. The "poverty" level of annual income for a family of four averages about $27K/year in 2022. Are you kidding me? That should be the poverty level for a single person living alone. Poverty level, to still receive some government help, for a family of four should be around $35K/year. The minimum wage needs to be raised to at least $15/hour but in some cities, that's still too low because of increased costs.
The New York Times has an excellent feature on one of these baristas who is also a Rhodes scholar. Read that as well! There are many inspiring young people from ages 2-3 up. They give me hope See also https://columbusfreepress.com/article/busting-myths-us-and-canada-confronting-past-present
I think the article was in the Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/02/12/rhodes-scholar-barista-fight-unionize-starbucks/
Jaz Brisack, one of the baristas that Robert Reich interviewed in the video, is the Rhodes scholar. She was inspired by Eugene V. Debs early on.
We will be hearing more about Ms. Brisack in the future, that's for sure! All three women were an inspiration!
A Rhodes scholar working as a barista.
@Martha. Unless she is like Larry in "The Razor's Edge"...
A thought: If the population of this country were composed of 330 million corporate CEOs, it wouldn't function very well.
So many of the companies that boast of being "job creators" may more accurately be characterized as slave creators. Along this line, Starbucks' union busting efforts don't seem to be about money, since flooding their stores with managers to intimidate baristas means paying extra wages. If Starbucks wants to continue to oppose unions, manager-intimidator will be a long-term position. It may be more about power, the power to trample on the most vulnerable. Corporate leadership recognizes that workers' organizing gives the workers power that might approach their own. I guess they cannot tolerate that idea.
Much of the population of this country have apparently been indoctrinated with the idea that low-level workers, who are essential to our economy, should be overcome with gratitude to have a job at all, and should eagerly accept whatever crumbs are thrown their way. When you or Bernie Sanders post a tweet about inequality, there are always those who rush to defend the CEOs and other super-wealthy individuals in response. It is inspiring that these young people are working to change the narrative.
If the people in charge would treat their employees well we wouldn’t need unions. That’s the justification for them right there, IMO.
Truely inspiring . The energy and drive of these abused workers, if harnessed and brought into the 'fold' for their employers would be directed towards higher profits, a better image for the company and an overall better working environment for both labor and management. May I ask where are Marty Walsh and Joe Biden ? If the Democrats want to show the difference between themselves and their Republican counterparts, issues as such are their golden opportunity. If they want to show themselves as 'The Party of The People'? Where better a stage ? And such issues and the firing of those organizers should be considered as high crimes ! It is the lack of proper government involvement in such an example of blatant corporate greed which once again leads me to the notion of we living under a corptocracy rather than a democracy . 'We the people' has morphed into 'We the corporations'. Until our federal and local laws are adjusted to outlaw ALL corporate political donations, access and control over our elected officials, abuses and such blatant corporate GREED shall go on and on . Unfettered capitalism does not work for 'WE THE PEOPLE'. 👊 🇺🇸👊🇺🇸✊️🇺🇸✊️
Someone complained that Kroger only netted .75 % in earnings. It amounts to 2.7 billion. I think there is more wiggle room than Kroger claims
While I support the effort to unionize Starbucks and other food service workers and the drive for a $15 per hour minimum wage, I am bothered by the fact that hundreds of thousands of skilled tradesmen jobs go begging every day in the US for lack of trained workers. Most of these jobs pay a living wage of much more than $15 per hour.
Two years ago, I hired a self-employed skilled brick mason to do some brick work for $80 per hour plus travel expenses. He was an immigrant from Mexico. He told me that he wanted to hire an assistant, but was unable to find anyone who wanted to do the work or make the effort to learn how. IMHO, there seems to be a stigma against doing work with your hands vice sitting in an office pushing paper.
We have plenty of CEOs, lawyers, administrators, financial advisors, TV talking heads. We need more people who can actually make stuff and be well paid for doing so. The Republicans aren't going to do anything about this problem. It would be nice to see the Democrats propose some ideas on how to solve it.
Great take Tim . My father; electrician, boiler man, pipe fitter, trouble shooter extraordinaire, ww2 submariner, man of few words, outstanding master of his trade, 'The Silent Service',"Loose lips sink ships.", he only spoke when he had something pertinent to say. "Son, it may not happen in my lifetime, but it will happen in yours. You'll wake up one day and realize no one knows s__t anymore ." I believe that prediction is all but upon us. My personal take, and I believe what he was eluding to was the so called dumbing down of America. Where are our technical high schools, trade schools, colleges ? I mean they are out there, but do we funnel our youth down those avenues ? Shouldn't more of an effort to recognize students who gravitate to such careers be made and sharpened ? Again, my take is once again the skewed and warped priorities we follow and instill in our youth as a nation. We sure commercialize the military as an option to them. We sure spend our money on more bombs and weaponry rather than education and trade training ! Time for the rethinking of our expenditures and priorities as a nation and people . And our youth . Our greatest and most precious resource NEEDS to be placed much much higher as a top priority .
You’re absolutely right, Mark. It isn’t impossible to create great jobs in the U.S. It just takes the will to do it.
Very interesting thoughts, Tim. I believe this is a cultural problem, since plumbers and electricians are very well paid and yet you don’t hear too many people aspiring to join them. (They don’t make stuff per se but they do work with their hands.) Culture is very difficult to change. Some jobs are glamorous and some aren’t. People will sacrifice to be thought cool. I think that’s the issue. What to do about it I haven’t a clue. I would love to hear from people who have experience outside the U.S. on this one.
So grateful for these food service workers! So much sacrifice and effort is going into this and so much more to do. My heart is with them. I would like to know whatever I can do to help.
How about Thomas Jefferson's notion,
"That without the occasional revolution democracy dies." The corptocracy, it's greed,gluttony,envy,sloth,hatred,pride and wrath which we live under has all but dismantled our democracy. God love these union organizers and their first step in a long overdue revolution. How about we as Americans join together and boycott Starbutts ? We need no violence. Believe me, but be aware that the corporately planned stirring of violence by the mis and dis information reigned down on us by the corporately owned and corrupted fourth estate awaits us in the wings . Such are the outcomes of our allowances of the likes of Trump and his duped followers. The oligarchy and the facistic nature of he and his. The average American has far more in common with these Starbucks employees than we realize. We NEED a Ghandiesk revolution. Organized mass product and service boycotts aimed at the perpetrators of these atrocities. They have no problem getting into your pocket ! Time to turn it around and hit them in theirs ! IT IS TIME TO WAKE UP AMERICA ! See our nation for what WE allow it to become ! ! BOYCOTT STARBUCKS ! ! Boycott them today ! !
Yup. Doing it.
I'm going to urge my former Carpenters' union to support the unionizing of Starbucks. I'd also like to congratulate these wonderful women, Jaz, Rachel and Michele. If I had a daughter like them (I have no children) I'd be infinitely proud!
This does give me hope! At least these kids understand history! I don’t think they are getting the majority of their information from schools but perhaps their history teachers are liberals! The right wing is attempting to stamp out dissent by leaving out whole chunks of history! Howard Zinn’s history should be required reading for even these baristas! Perhaps the oral tradition is teaching these kids! You go baristas!!!
Inspired and inspiring! And while we’re at it- why is $15 an hour considered a good wage. Shouldn’t it be at least $30 and why is 8 hours considered a working day. Why not 6- seems more reasonable given human capabilities.
Absolutely! Here in California you can’t possibly live on $15 a hour no matter how much you work. I can’t believe it’s that different elsewhere.
I used to live in CA and you are so right about this.
Thanks for high-lighting this current labor effort. Oh, to get back to the 1960s level of labor clout!
Thanks. I've already "voted with my feet" regarding Starbucks except that I'm already too cheap to go to coffee shops much. We don't have a Krogers near me. Many retailers have both macro and micro monopoly/oligopoly powers especially over those with less economic resources and mobility. Can you recommend any app or other good compilation of businesses to boycott as possible on grounds of worker exploitation and other ESG type criteria? If not, that seems like a great opportunity for a non-profit or for-profit.
On a somewhat related note, what do you think about any doable road to replacing required/incentivized employer-paid healthcare, which can limit worker power and mobility and be gamed, while not having this be replaced by a worse system.
Definitely support Medicare for all. Ady Barkan’s organization Be a Hero is deeply involved in that and can always use support. Also I suggest patronizing local farmers’ markets, which are great fun. Just remember to bring a cart so you don’t Injure yourself by carrying heavy bags around and need physical therapy like I did.
Kroger is even worse than Starbucks. Closing stores in LA, etc., to avoid mandate Covid protections and pay for workers!
I disagree so Robert filters me out. Pretty sick stuff