Starbucks Wins Court Case, Settles Labor Complaint, Loses Contract to Dunkin, May Move Tazo to Seattle
Our local coffee giant has been busy:
In bad news for the company's baristas, Starbucks won a reversal of a verdict requiring it to pay $86 million in restitution for allowing supervisors to take a share of the baristas' tips. A California Court of Appeals ruled that the company's policy doesn't violate California law. (Legal or not, that's a rough policy.) The baristas plan to appeal.
The company agreed to a settlement in its Minnesota labor disputes. If you'll recall, the National Labor Relations Board found merit in the Industrial Workers of the World's complaints that the company tried to quash unionization campaigns and retaliated against organizers. In the settlement, Starbucks won't admit wrongdoing but will post notices advising workers of their federal civil right to form or join a union, and advising them that Starbucks will not interfere with those organizing efforts. The company now faces a new media campaign branding it a bad employer.
Dunkin Donuts will be replacing Starbucks on the Florida Turnpike.
Also in Florida: An Orlando Starbucks store was the victim of an attempted robbery by a guy who was taking his mom to the hospital at the time. Despite having a gun, the guy couldn't pull it off, so he ran across the street and tried to rob a woman at Walgreens. That also failed. He was then caught by police.
Finally, Starbucks is thinking of moving Tazo Tea's headquarters (and its warehouse and 80 employees) from Portland to Seattle.
2 comment(s)
K says:
Dammit, you got my hopes up with the "starbucks loses to dunks" lede.
Posted On: Tuesday, Jun. 2 2009 @ 3:30PM
pralino says:
Hi people, it is Labor Day! I'm enjoying my extra day off, and I am planning to make something fun that'll probably involve a car trip and seeing something new in Willowbrook I haven't seen yet.
You write something new on this Monday at the labor day? ... HAppy BLOGGiNg!
Posted On: Sunday, Sep. 6 2009 @ 2:44AM