Starbucks: A Mixed Blend for Workers

[dcsmart]

In the epoch of corporate barracudas, the Starbucks Coffee Co. prides itself on benevolence. But is that enough to safeguard employees in the global economy? My research for Wrestling With Starbucks: Conscience, Capital, Cappuccino, plunged me below the foam and the fury to discover the many flavors in the Starbucks model of labor relations.

There’s some sweetness in the brew. In contrast to McDonald’s or Wal-Mart, Starbucks is considered a leader in socially responsible business practices. It was an early adopter of health care for domestic partners, pioneered benefits for part-timers, has a vividly multiracial workforce (including top officials), emphasizes training and often promotes from within, although the opportunities are diminishing along with the company’s stock price. In other words, when it comes to how it treats its workers, Starbucks is far better than many retailer giants.

But other tones are more acidic. What Starbucks shares with Wal-Mart and McDonald’s is a baseline hourly wage that generally hovers between $7 and $10. Corporate management also shares an antipathy to unions. “We’re not anti-union, we’re pro-partner,” is the official Starbucks mantra. While there is some validity to the latter assertion, the first part stretches credibility. Over the years, Starbucks has vigorously fought workers' efforts to form unions, sometimes to the point of illegality. Just before Christmas, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) found the company guilty of firing three baristas for union organizing activities.

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