Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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did anyone else’s store get these? also wtf? (i.redd.it)
submitted by New-Ad4364
HanatabaRose 29 points 1y ago
nothing's incorrect explicitly but the phrasing is designed to make you think a union would be bad. the whole "starbucks couldnt deal with partners individually if you form a union" really jumps out. This is true, because thats the whole point. corporate can easily fuck you if you dont have any collective bargaining power
overturned23 20 points 1y ago
No. But they seem pretty neutral (for once) and the information isn’t incorrect.
TheycallmeV_ 15 points 1y ago
Yes this is at my store, and some of the information is misleading.
For instance, not being able to work at other stores is a self inflicted problem. It is up to Starbucks whether they want to make it more or less difficult for partners.
Not all unions are inherently mandatory. UFCW is completely voluntary.
And the time to contract is another self inflicted problem. Lots of companies prefer to drag things out as long as possible so they can squeeze as much profit out while they can.
So beware and maybe tell a coworker
For instance, not being able to work at other stores is a self inflicted problem. It is up to Starbucks whether they want to make it more or less difficult for partners.
Not all unions are inherently mandatory. UFCW is completely voluntary.
And the time to contract is another self inflicted problem. Lots of companies prefer to drag things out as long as possible so they can squeeze as much profit out while they can.
So beware and maybe tell a coworker
zedazeni 11 points 1y ago
I mean, nothing that’s written there is inherently incorrect nor does it openly renounce unions. I find those documents fairly neutral (much to my surprise).
My store (metro DC area) hasn’t yet received these, but from what I’ve gleaned by listening to my SM’s district meetings, union reps have been aggressive with getting partners and tryin to get partners to sign up on the spot, while, for example, partners are on bar making drinks for customers, while partners are on register trying to take people’s orders, union reps are handing partners papers trying to get them to sign then-and-there. In my district, many partners (not at my store) addressed to their SMs saying that the union reps wouldn’t leave when they asked the reps to leave. What’s more, most of my partners don’t know anything about labor unions. I grew up in a union household, so I’m the only person at my store who has any understanding of what a union even is. Again, from what I’ve heard, Starbucks is wanting partners to understand what a union actually is before blindly deciding to vote to join or not join one. That’s the gist that my DM gave me when I heard my DM speak about this.
My store (metro DC area) hasn’t yet received these, but from what I’ve gleaned by listening to my SM’s district meetings, union reps have been aggressive with getting partners and tryin to get partners to sign up on the spot, while, for example, partners are on bar making drinks for customers, while partners are on register trying to take people’s orders, union reps are handing partners papers trying to get them to sign then-and-there. In my district, many partners (not at my store) addressed to their SMs saying that the union reps wouldn’t leave when they asked the reps to leave. What’s more, most of my partners don’t know anything about labor unions. I grew up in a union household, so I’m the only person at my store who has any understanding of what a union even is. Again, from what I’ve heard, Starbucks is wanting partners to understand what a union actually is before blindly deciding to vote to join or not join one. That’s the gist that my DM gave me when I heard my DM speak about this.
Kings_and_Dragons 3 points 1y ago
The trying to get people to sign on the clock sounds fake. Because legally the only time they can reprimand you for doing anything union related is while on the clock.
It's funny that they say that's what their goal is. Because it definitely isn't to stop people from "blindly" joining unions, it's to scare people into thinking unions are bad or dangerous and discourage them from joining one. So they word it somewhat neutral to not face legal repercussions, even though this paper clearly has a bias against unions. "You can always say no, if you want to say no you should say no, you can say no at any time, even after you join" all implies that saying no is the correct action.
It's funny that they say that's what their goal is. Because it definitely isn't to stop people from "blindly" joining unions, it's to scare people into thinking unions are bad or dangerous and discourage them from joining one. So they word it somewhat neutral to not face legal repercussions, even though this paper clearly has a bias against unions. "You can always say no, if you want to say no you should say no, you can say no at any time, even after you join" all implies that saying no is the correct action.
zedazeni 1 points 1y ago
The union organizers were the ones trying to get partners to sign union cards while partners were on bar/register, and from what other SMs in my district said, partners repeatedly asked the union reps to come back later before the union reps left the store.
I agree with you that the strong emphasis on “you can say “no”” definitely carries negative connotations, but again, from what I have heard other SMs in my area say, the union reps are, ironically, ignoring the requests and disrespecting the wishes of partners while soliciting union membership information.
Again, this is from what I have heard in my district, so it does not reflect the bigger picture, just what I’ve heard about in my dozen or so store area in the inner DC suburbs.
I agree with you that the strong emphasis on “you can say “no”” definitely carries negative connotations, but again, from what I have heard other SMs in my area say, the union reps are, ironically, ignoring the requests and disrespecting the wishes of partners while soliciting union membership information.
Again, this is from what I have heard in my district, so it does not reflect the bigger picture, just what I’ve heard about in my dozen or so store area in the inner DC suburbs.
Sdee1234 2 points 1y ago
Have you heard this account from any non salary baristas about union reps bothering busy partners or catching them off guard so to speak? My manager said the same thing but one of the stores in my district is unionizing and I havent seen one barista actually claim this- only store managers who got that account from a district manager, which im pretty suspicious of these days. I just want to know if this is true from an actual barista who this happened too. Because if so its pretty shitty, but if its made up to scare people thats even shittier...
zedazeni 1 points 1y ago
I overheard this from a Microsoft Team meeting between the SMs and DM in my district. SMs were freely sharing that what I wrote above was things that their partners and SSVs were telling them about. It seemed like a bottom-up thing, but I haven’t heard of an actual partner say anything.
I will also add that I heard a few of the corporate videos that were sent out to SMs on this topic (was doing my food pull in the BoH when my SM was watching them) and those gave a very different tone from what my SMs and DM were giving; many SMs even seemed sympathetic to partners who want to unionize, and my DM seemed fairly neutral and really hit hard on “don’t discourage it, just make sure you give them all of the information” was my best paraphrasing of what my DM said while the corporate-made videos made Sbux to be this mythical land of milk and honey where partners and corporate get align perfectly fine and they can’t imagine why partners want to unionize because Sbux is just so good….so yeah, there’s two very different battles going on here.
I will also add that I heard a few of the corporate videos that were sent out to SMs on this topic (was doing my food pull in the BoH when my SM was watching them) and those gave a very different tone from what my SMs and DM were giving; many SMs even seemed sympathetic to partners who want to unionize, and my DM seemed fairly neutral and really hit hard on “don’t discourage it, just make sure you give them all of the information” was my best paraphrasing of what my DM said while the corporate-made videos made Sbux to be this mythical land of milk and honey where partners and corporate get align perfectly fine and they can’t imagine why partners want to unionize because Sbux is just so good….so yeah, there’s two very different battles going on here.
Only-Dog7316 3 points 1y ago
The part about what happens if a store votes to unionize MAY be incorrect if the state has "right to work" laws. Some states in the US have very specific laws that prohibit "union shops" . This means that not everyone at a store would be required to join union as a condition of employment. Sone people could joins and others could choose to not join. State laws vary so be sure to find out what the law is in your state. Knowledge is power.
Antique-Amoeba0410 1 points 1y ago
Yea we got them but they’re a lot more aggressive looking
shosh_c 1 points 1y ago
We have a $1of that top one up. The part that really grinds my gears is next to the QR code where it says “Use the QR code to do your own research”
That’s not how doing your own research works. That’s just looking at someone else’s research!!!
That’s not how doing your own research works. That’s just looking at someone else’s research!!!
TransportationDull64 1 points 1y ago
My store didn't get it, we're in the Dane county area of Wisconsin
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