I was at the documentary screening/panel event and wanted to share something that one of the striking partners (Raven) said about Starbucks’s increasingly desperate and illegal tactics: “The path man takes to avoid his destiny is the one that leads him there.”
This is happening. It may take a while but this is the microcosm of collective action leading to collective good in the face of overwhelming corporate greed that we have all been waiting for. A small change in consumer habits means I can be a part of this? Hell yeah
I live in Denver and there’s so many good coffee shops that are evenly spread out in the major areas that you would never see me at a damn Starbucks anyway.
I live in an urban area, but travel to rural and suburban midwestern towns quite a bit for my kids’ sports and nowhere are independent coffee shops more plentiful than in small towns. Like, it’s shocking how many cute, small shops are in Decorah, IA. I talk endless shit about the suburbs, but some of my fave coffee shops have been in the exoburbs of MN.
Plus, there are gas stations. Hit up a Holiday if you need a coffee for the next couple months.
I haven't gone to Starbucks all year and it wasn't even part of my New Year's Resolution! I live in Los Angeles and I travel to different cities and there are so many other good coffee shops that are NOT Starbucks.
I worked at Starbucks some 20(!!!) years ago and the number of times people were scheduled for an closing shift (midnight) and then an opening shift (4am) the following day, was unreal. I think usually it got changed, but not always. So cruel! And I will also never forget when I couldn't understand a drive-thru customer's order (the headset/speaker could be so bad) and she yelled out "T-A-L-L!!" Oof.
I worked at Starbucks over 25 years ago before most of them had drive-thrus. I honestly loved that job as a teenager and it’s probably my favorite job to-date. BUT I could not have coped with a drive-thru AND I could not have survived there if I relied on it as the primary way to pay my bills or get my health insurance. It would’ve all been too goddamn stressful.
A beer bottling plant I used to work at in Belfast is currently striking. All the headlines say “there will be a Guinness Zero shortage at Christmas,” good pay them a fair wage. They were a great bunch of lads. Now the Coca-cola plant I worked at not so nice but I would still support them if they had a strike.
One of my fav movies to see in the theater this year was Good Fortune. Aziz Ansari wrote, directed and stars in it. It's funny and heartbreaking and shines a light on gig work, the uphill battle to unionize, and how so many people a merely a paycheck away from homelessness. Plus, Keanu Reeves. Seems very pod episode appropo and i highly recommend. Get your conservative Uncle to watch it too, if you can.
Has anyone been able to find a list of striking stores? It's not in the website linked in the show notes. My searching hasn't brought up anything. Maybe this is for strikers' safety? Was looking so that I can find a store to join the protest at.
Something similar is happening in my mid-sized city in Ontario, Canada (pop. ~800,000). A former department store exec bought a lot of local coffee shops over the last couple years. One of them unionized earlier this year. After finally “agreeing” to their collecting bargaining agreement, he closed the store this week citing “loss of management staff.” However, it’s come to light that all the managers he claimed quit have just been transferred to the other (previously independent) cafes he bought. Anyway, there’s a boycott brewing (pun intended). Especially because the store that closed has been a community spot for a long time, one of the first vegan coffee shops, and is in a very progressive part of the city (which has a history of strong labour union participation).
To illustrate the vibe of this city, we ran out a famous chef (winner of chopped Canada) when it came out he & his business partner were SH/SA staff. It was one of the most popular restaurants prior to the whole scandal too! Now, every time he tries to open a new spot, there’s an automatic boycott in effect. He’s tried very hard to hide his association each time, but it’s always leaked and people snap into action. The more suburban areas are different but all these places are in the inner core with either blue collar workers or college-educated, very left leaning professionals.
Anyway, because of these factors, the coffee shops boycott is well placed to be effective, especially with how localized it is and how much of a coffee city we are so there’s many other independent options to frequent
I was at the documentary screening/panel event and wanted to share something that one of the striking partners (Raven) said about Starbucks’s increasingly desperate and illegal tactics: “The path man takes to avoid his destiny is the one that leads him there.”
This is happening. It may take a while but this is the microcosm of collective action leading to collective good in the face of overwhelming corporate greed that we have all been waiting for. A small change in consumer habits means I can be a part of this? Hell yeah
I live in Denver and there’s so many good coffee shops that are evenly spread out in the major areas that you would never see me at a damn Starbucks anyway.
I live in an urban area, but travel to rural and suburban midwestern towns quite a bit for my kids’ sports and nowhere are independent coffee shops more plentiful than in small towns. Like, it’s shocking how many cute, small shops are in Decorah, IA. I talk endless shit about the suburbs, but some of my fave coffee shops have been in the exoburbs of MN.
Plus, there are gas stations. Hit up a Holiday if you need a coffee for the next couple months.
I haven't gone to Starbucks all year and it wasn't even part of my New Year's Resolution! I live in Los Angeles and I travel to different cities and there are so many other good coffee shops that are NOT Starbucks.
I worked at Starbucks some 20(!!!) years ago and the number of times people were scheduled for an closing shift (midnight) and then an opening shift (4am) the following day, was unreal. I think usually it got changed, but not always. So cruel! And I will also never forget when I couldn't understand a drive-thru customer's order (the headset/speaker could be so bad) and she yelled out "T-A-L-L!!" Oof.
I worked at Starbucks over 25 years ago before most of them had drive-thrus. I honestly loved that job as a teenager and it’s probably my favorite job to-date. BUT I could not have coped with a drive-thru AND I could not have survived there if I relied on it as the primary way to pay my bills or get my health insurance. It would’ve all been too goddamn stressful.
Ye olde clopening. Not a barista, but have worked in hospitality and it’s diabolical.
A beer bottling plant I used to work at in Belfast is currently striking. All the headlines say “there will be a Guinness Zero shortage at Christmas,” good pay them a fair wage. They were a great bunch of lads. Now the Coca-cola plant I worked at not so nice but I would still support them if they had a strike.
One of my fav movies to see in the theater this year was Good Fortune. Aziz Ansari wrote, directed and stars in it. It's funny and heartbreaking and shines a light on gig work, the uphill battle to unionize, and how so many people a merely a paycheck away from homelessness. Plus, Keanu Reeves. Seems very pod episode appropo and i highly recommend. Get your conservative Uncle to watch it too, if you can.
I totally needed this reminder. Thank you!
I never heard the fact about racial and gender wage gap being lower for unionized workers! Love it!
Has there been an update on the Starbucks strike?
I will happily continue to enjoy the small mom and pop coffee shops in my area.
Superstore did an amazing job covering this topic over multiple seasons
Starbucks has paid the union busting law firm littler $200 million to fight their union efforts across the country. This trickles down even further —
My LEGAL AID is unionizing with UAW and littler is providing our admin team with PRO BONO representation to fight our union efforts….
Just sent this to my dad who is known by name at his local Starbucks 😬 crossing my fingers!
Support Mojo Coffee on Hampden and Chambers. Is the best coffee I've had in Denver Metro. Legends Coffee in Southlands is also really good.
Has anyone been able to find a list of striking stores? It's not in the website linked in the show notes. My searching hasn't brought up anything. Maybe this is for strikers' safety? Was looking so that I can find a store to join the protest at.
Something similar is happening in my mid-sized city in Ontario, Canada (pop. ~800,000). A former department store exec bought a lot of local coffee shops over the last couple years. One of them unionized earlier this year. After finally “agreeing” to their collecting bargaining agreement, he closed the store this week citing “loss of management staff.” However, it’s come to light that all the managers he claimed quit have just been transferred to the other (previously independent) cafes he bought. Anyway, there’s a boycott brewing (pun intended). Especially because the store that closed has been a community spot for a long time, one of the first vegan coffee shops, and is in a very progressive part of the city (which has a history of strong labour union participation).
To illustrate the vibe of this city, we ran out a famous chef (winner of chopped Canada) when it came out he & his business partner were SH/SA staff. It was one of the most popular restaurants prior to the whole scandal too! Now, every time he tries to open a new spot, there’s an automatic boycott in effect. He’s tried very hard to hide his association each time, but it’s always leaked and people snap into action. The more suburban areas are different but all these places are in the inner core with either blue collar workers or college-educated, very left leaning professionals.
Anyway, because of these factors, the coffee shops boycott is well placed to be effective, especially with how localized it is and how much of a coffee city we are so there’s many other independent options to frequent