"Why Can't We Celebrate LGBTQ+?"... Massive Strike at US Starbucks

Union: "Hypocritical Treatment of LGBTQ Workers"
Starbucks: "Union Claims Are False... No Policy Changes"

Employees of Starbucks, the world's largest coffee chain based in the United States, have announced a large-scale strike next week. The reason is that they were refused to display decorations commemorating 'Pride Month,' the month dedicated to LGBTQ+ rights, in their stores.

According to reports from foreign media including The New York Times (NYT), the Starbucks workers' union, 'Starbucks Workers United,' announced on the 23rd (local time) that more than 3,000 employees from 150 stores will participate in the strike.

The union stated, "Starting with the Roastery store in Seattle, where the headquarters is located, we will carry out a nationwide strike." There are about 9,300 Starbucks company-operated stores across the United States.

This strike was triggered by employees repeatedly raising complaints that "decorations related to LGBTQ+ rights, including rainbow flags, were prohibited in many Starbucks stores." Last year, such decorations were allowed to be displayed in stores during Pride Month.

The union warned, "This change in company policy is hypocritical treatment of LGBTQ+ workers," adding, "Starbucks should be afraid of the power held by LGBTQ+ partners."

However, Starbucks denied the union's claims, stating that they are not true and that there has been no change in company policy.

In a statement on the 13th, Starbucks said, "We continue to encourage store leaders to celebrate Pride Month events with their communities," and expressed serious concern over the spread of false information regarding inclusive store environments, corporate culture, and benefits provided to partners.

Recently, major companies in the United States have increasingly faced backlash such as boycotts from conservative groups related to LGBTQ+ rights.

In April, the American beer brand Bud Light sponsored Dylan Mulvaney, an influencer who transitioned from male to female. They also sent a specially made Bud Light can as a gift to celebrate the first anniversary of her podcast.

However, conservative consumers who learned of this launched a boycott, leading to a decrease in sales. Ultimately, Bud Light, which had held the number one position in the U.S. beer market since 2001, lost its top spot after 22 years to the Mexican brand Modelo.

On the other hand, there are also many cases where large corporations like Starbucks face criticism for not sufficiently supporting LGBTQ+ rights.

Meanwhile, the Starbucks union announced that through this strike, they plan to protest not only LGBTQ+ issues but also wages, welfare benefits, and worker treatment. Starbucks, which opened its first store in Seattle in 1971, has adhered to a 'no union management principle' for nearly 50 years. Howard Schultz, the former CEO and founder of Starbucks, argued that "Starbucks does not need a union because it pays the industry's best wages." However, since the first union was formed at a New York store in December 2021, about 300 Starbucks stores out of the total 9,300 have unionized.