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    Unionized Starbucks Employeees Walk Off the Job in “Pride” Protest, Decorations at Issue

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    The Twitter for Starbucks Workers United, a nationwide Starbucks union, recently claimed in a thread that Starbucks had ordered its employees to remove “Pride” decorations from the coffee shops. Starbucks corporate denies having said anything like that, but the union’s claims were apparently persuasive enough that thousands of Starbucks employees are going on strike protest.

    The union called on its 3,500 or so members to launch a strike in a post on Twitter, saying, “STRIKE WITH PRIDE! Seattle Roastery leads nationwide Starbucks strike over Starbucks’ hypocritical treatment of LGBTQIA+ workers. Over 150+ stores and 3,500 workers will be on strike over the course of the next week.”

    Commenters were generally unimpressed, saying things like “Twitter needs a laugh react” and “Why is it always the people who demand acceptance and tolerance the most, who are the most intolerant of other people’s views than their own. – I don’t need rainbow flags in my store. – If you’re not with me, then you’re my enemy. – Only a Sith deals in absolutes!”

    Another commenter spoke about not wanting to be propagandized too while getting coffee in the morning, saying, “I don’t want to see gay and trans messaging when I buy my coffee. Why can’t you keep it in the bedroom and leave the rest of us alone?”

    Starbucks strongly denied the claims of the union in a statement to the New York Post. The statement first said that the “Pride” decorations claim was an outright lie and is meant to divide Starbucks and its customers while putting the corporate entity on its back foot.

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    It claimed, “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.”

    Continuing, the company highlighted its massive number of open locations and encouraged customers to find out which stores will not be afflicted by strikes so that they can get their coffee without having to deal with the disruption of union protests.

    It said, “We apologize to our customers who may experience an inconvenience at these locations and encourage customers to find any of our more than 9,000 stores open nearby using our store locator available online or through the Starbucks mobile app.”

    Follow up tweets from the union made yet more allegations of the company’s anti-LGBT conduct and demands. Beginning it, said, “Starbucks workers across the country are striking this week over Starbucks’ treatment of queer & trans workers. We know that workers rights ARE queer & trans rights. Here’s just some of the things we’re fighting for —” It then went on to list things like regular hours, a “grievance procedure,” a “voice” for “queer and trans workers” at Starbucks, and for Starbucks to stop trying to intimidate union members.

    Yet another post from the union claimed the strike is going well, saying, “It’s DAY TWO of Strike with Pride and we’re going STRONG! More stores walked out and joined the picket line to fight for LGBTQIA+ rights and a contract. #strikwithpride.“