And to think this could all be rectified with a strict adherence to latex wardrobe…
Starbucks baristas from seventy-five American coffee stores have been striking since this past Sunday. Why? The workers, numbering over a thousand, are protesting the coffee giant’s new company dress code.
Starting this past Monday, Starbucks is demanding that their workers wear a solid black long or short-sleeved shirt, collar, or collarless (the company said they would provide two free black tees to each worker) khaki, black, or blue denim pants. The Starbucks Workers United (SBUX), formed four years ago, said in their complaint that Starbucks is “undermining the Union’s representational status,” by enforcing the new dress policy, which they did without negotiating with the SBUX. The union also claims that the free black tees weren’t available everywhere and some workers were even told that the shoes they were wearing were no longer allowed.
Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol put his “Back to Starbucks,” plan into effect a year ago, hoping to as much make Starbucks’ locations inviting hang-out spots and speed up coffee making.
Starbucks posted this explanation specifically for its wardrobe restrictions on its website:
“By updating our dress code, we can deliver a more consistent coffeehouse experience that will also bring simpler and clearer guidance to our partners, which means they can focus on what matters most, crafting great beverages and fostering connections with customers,” the company said in a post on its website.
Starbucks is surely not the only grab-and-go or sit-and-wile-away-hours-on-your-laptop food service company that requires their workers to adhere to a specific dress code. It’s just that up until now the company’s baristas were allowed to wear a range of dark colors and patterned shirts.
But could they wear latex before? Could they now if a latex shirt fit the new criteria?
