Starbucks Union

To All Baristas!

It is time for us to all stand together on one of the most important issues we have faced yet. The demise of our health benefits. As we all know, Starbucks' sales for last quarter were down 69% and does not look like it is going to go up any time soon. Because of this, all of our hours have been cut back. Not only have they been cut back, but we have NO guarantee, what-so-ever, that we will get the 20 Hr a week minimum required to keep or obtain health benefits.

Health care represents a monumental expenditure in over-head costs not just for Starbucks, but any large corporation. Don't get me wrong, the benefits that we have (soon to be "had") are top notch, but Starbucks is doing everything to stay afloat, but at what cost?
Starbucks cannot come out and say, "We're cutting insurance benefits for all employees". They know that if they did, not only will their "socially responsible" image be irreparably damaged but the stock would plummet, sending the whole company into an absolute tail-spin. So, what do they do instead? They create circumstances that would drop thousands of people from their insurance by cutting back hours BELOW the required minimum and they are doing so under the pretense of "the economy". Yes, the economy is the worst it's ever been since the great depression but let's not forget that Starbucks has a responsibility to the share holders first and foremost, not the baristas. Starbucks' sole objective here is to post a profit to the share holders in the 2nd and 3rd quarter of this year at the expense of OUR health.

The rug has been pulled out from under us, my friends. Starbucks had this in mind over 8 months ago, but enforced it in the first two weeks of this quarter, thus ensuring that most people would not make the quarterly requirements for benefits. Do not be fooled when this issue comes to a head and a PR rep is quoted as saying "the loss of health benefits for many of our baristas has been an unintended consequence due to these economic challenges . . . ". Starbucks is a GLOBAL goliath. This company did not become so by "unintended consequences".

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