2 ms·

Withholding tipping (cash tips weren't allocated, and credit card tipping wasn't implemented to solve cash tip withholding) from union stores was determined to

Withholding tipping (cash tips weren't allocated, and credit card tipping wasn't implemented to solve cash tip withholding) from union stores was determined to be illegal wage theft

chrisbolt 4y ago
> In May 2022, then-CEO Howard Schultz announced that the company would begin rolling out credit card tipping in the fall at all of its locations — save for the 200+ stores that were unionized or in the process of unionizing. They didn’t keep tips, they withheld the convenience from customers. Shitty, but not exactly theft.
- Arrath 4y ago
  That seems like exactly the kind of hair-splitting shenanigans that management would undertake to attempt to strike back at the union stores. Sure, they're only withholding the convenience from the customers, but how much real impact does this have on the tips given? I know I've personally had to forego giving tips before due to lack of cash.
justin66 4y ago
The problem some (all?) Starbucks workers have had for the past few years is that their point of sale systems weren't making it possible to tip when paying via credit card, so people would need to tip cash. Fixing that for non-union employees but not unionized employees is what tweaked the NLRB, since it's part of a pattern of "union busting" behavior. Starbucks is not really set up to have the kind of slimy, lawful evil middle management that can be really good at union busting. Guile and misanthropy aren't exactly hallmarks of Starbucks staff. The stuff they're doing now is really obviously going to get them into trouble. This is not exactly subtle: “At my store, it did have a negative impact — we had our election finalized right as they rolled out these new benefits,” says Alisha Humphrey, a Starbucks union leader in Oklahoma City. So as happy as we were that people won, we were told that since we won our election, we were not getting credit card tipping or the raises. Our manager met with everyone and told us that if we transferred to another store, you would make $1.50 more and credit card tipping. And some did transfer.”
- FireBeyond 4y ago
  Yup. Around here, they removed the foam comfort mats from the work areas (behind the register, at the machines, etc.) that were designed to reduce fatigue, foot stress / pain from extended standing. They said it was a safety issue. Then it was pointed out that they'd only removed them at the stores where they were unionized or were in the process of doing it, and they had very little explanation for why the mats were safe in non-union stores.

Withholding tipping (cash tips weren't allocated, and credit card tipping wasn't implemented to solve cash tip withholding) from union stores was determined to be illegal wage theft

chrisbolt 4y ago

> In May 2022, then-CEO Howard Schultz announced that the company would begin rolling out credit card tipping in the fall at all of its locations — save for the 200+ stores that were unionized or in the process of unionizing. They didn’t keep tips, they withheld the convenience from customers. Shitty, but not exactly theft.

Arrath 4y ago
That seems like exactly the kind of hair-splitting shenanigans that management would undertake to attempt to strike back at the union stores. Sure, they're only withholding the convenience from the customers, but how much real impact does this have on the tips given? I know I've personally had to forego giving tips before due to lack of cash.

justin66 4y ago

The problem some (all?) Starbucks workers have had for the past few years is that their point of sale systems weren't making it possible to tip when paying via credit card, so people would need to tip cash. Fixing that for non-union employees but not unionized employees is what tweaked the NLRB, since it's part of a pattern of "union busting" behavior. Starbucks is not really set up to have the kind of slimy, lawful evil middle management that can be really good at union busting. Guile and misanthropy aren't exactly hallmarks of Starbucks staff. The stuff they're doing now is really obviously going to get them into trouble. This is not exactly subtle: “At my store, it did have a negative impact — we had our election finalized right as they rolled out these new benefits,” says Alisha Humphrey, a Starbucks union leader in Oklahoma City. So as happy as we were that people won, we were told that since we won our election, we were not getting credit card tipping or the raises. Our manager met with everyone and told us that if we transferred to another store, you would make $1.50 more and credit card tipping. And some did transfer.”

FireBeyond 4y ago
Yup. Around here, they removed the foam comfort mats from the work areas (behind the register, at the machines, etc.) that were designed to reduce fatigue, foot stress / pain from extended standing. They said it was a safety issue. Then it was pointed out that they'd only removed them at the stores where they were unionized or were in the process of doing it, and they had very little explanation for why the mats were safe in non-union stores.