Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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Voices Needed (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by gemi-high
Today my SM and I are having a meeting with some DM’s about partner perspective. I transparently address issues such as miscommunications caused by lack of understanding for different perspectives. I approach things with a mindset of “what’s expected and whats realistic do not always coincide with eachother” and with this transparent and “lets be real” way of thinking did my part to make my store a smooth well oiled machine that has open communication and no drama. Because unionizing is not ideal for me and I see potential in starbucks, I want to do what I can to break down the wall between corporate and workers in the stores. If y’all could very honestly just give me things you’d wish a DM could hear and think about from a barista or shift perspective, I will gladly articulate it in a way that it is listened to and not ignored later. For more clarity, I want every store to actually be that third place, every store to understand and actually want to cultivate the caring culture we’re supposed to be, I want us paid fairly for the hurdles we deal
with every day while also achieving seemingly impossible goals. I’m not going to this meeting to complain but to try and do my part to open pathways of transparent communication and problem solving ways to make starbucks what its supposed to be for partners and customers alike.
with every day while also achieving seemingly impossible goals. I’m not going to this meeting to complain but to try and do my part to open pathways of transparent communication and problem solving ways to make starbucks what its supposed to be for partners and customers alike.
nicathor 18 points 1y ago
I'll be frank, the ship has sailed. Baristas and SSVs will never again trust anyone above SMs (and most SMs are to be kept at arm's length). There has simply been too much history of lies and misrepresentation by those who don't actually work in the cafes. Every DM is looked at as a Koolaid drinking lackey of the Corporate Siren and 99% of interactions we ever get with DMs are negative.
We've heard too many DMs say "I hear you and...' after we raise a concern and then it is never addressed again.
We've heard too many recountings of baristas being bullied by their SMs and they have no recourse because any complaints are just shilled to the DMs who only have the back of the SM.
God help you when you file to unionize as DMs go nuclear the day you file. At my store we filed and a 15 year partner was \*essentially fired by the end of the day
\*DM told her that day she was gonna be fired but would have an official ruling by the following Monday. Didn't make it official for almost a month and still required her to come to work!
Our DM cornered an upset barista at closing and kept her there for an hour past closing; she left in tears!
Our DM has instructed our SM to fall in line, and she has. Half our store has been written up for complete BS reasons in the last three weeks and our trust in our SM has been obliterated.
We've had to take precautions to protect ourselves from Corporate DMs. We no longer allow anyone to meet with anyone above SSV without at least one other person present. We document everything. We ignore phone calls unless there is someone else present and get everything in writing.
Want to send a message to your DMs? Tell them this: We don't trust you. We don't like you. We are not partners. You burned those bridges with all the napalm you had at your disposal and then some.
Edit: typo
We've heard too many DMs say "I hear you and...' after we raise a concern and then it is never addressed again.
We've heard too many recountings of baristas being bullied by their SMs and they have no recourse because any complaints are just shilled to the DMs who only have the back of the SM.
God help you when you file to unionize as DMs go nuclear the day you file. At my store we filed and a 15 year partner was \*essentially fired by the end of the day
\*DM told her that day she was gonna be fired but would have an official ruling by the following Monday. Didn't make it official for almost a month and still required her to come to work!
Our DM cornered an upset barista at closing and kept her there for an hour past closing; she left in tears!
Our DM has instructed our SM to fall in line, and she has. Half our store has been written up for complete BS reasons in the last three weeks and our trust in our SM has been obliterated.
We've had to take precautions to protect ourselves from Corporate DMs. We no longer allow anyone to meet with anyone above SSV without at least one other person present. We document everything. We ignore phone calls unless there is someone else present and get everything in writing.
Want to send a message to your DMs? Tell them this: We don't trust you. We don't like you. We are not partners. You burned those bridges with all the napalm you had at your disposal and then some.
Edit: typo
gemi-high [OP] 3 points 1y ago
a comment like this is the transparency that needs to be discussed no matter what the feelings are on either side about it. The fact is that it’s their own leaders letting us down.
gemi-high [OP] 3 points 1y ago
Heard loud and clear. I hate that that has been your experience, I can’t imagine my own DM or SM ever allowing behavior like that in our area. Experiences like yours definitely need to be addressed and actually have action taken or nothing corporate says will mean anything at all. If you’d feel comfortable with it, I could just let my DM read this so i can go “this has not been my experience but the experience of so many others” My goal is to get the DMs that actually do care and will listen to start being more proactive in actively seeking these employees that are ruining starbucks image and the environments for partners. Your DM wont listen to you but mine might do something.
nicathor 1 points 1y ago
You have my permission to show them this. I truly hope your efforts bear fruit and Corporate changes their attitude towards their labor force, but judging by their response the massive wave of unionization my hopes are not high. Good luck!
[deleted] 1 points 1y ago
[deleted]
gemi-high [OP] 1 points 1y ago
So, I addressed this at the roundtable with the DM for my district and her boss, along with my SM and around 8 other shift leads. The DM started telling everyone “just do the reports” “you have to” “it’s unacceptable to be harassed”. Yet months ago I remembered her saying those things word for word and asked her what she’ll do to take a different approach to fixing this problem as its not the shifts that need to be told this stuff, but the SM’s. Im hoping some change comes even if just in my district.
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