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STARBUCKS USA FORCES WORKFORCE TO PAY FOR UNIFORMS

Since last May, Starbucks North America has implemented a new dress code. The previous dress code allowed for tops of any colour and bottoms, hats, footwear, and outerwear to be black, grey, navy, brown, khaki, or white. The new dress code requires employees to wear a solid black crew neck, collared, or button-up shirt. The shirts can be either short-sleeved or long-sleeved. Employees must also wear bottoms that can be any shade of khaki, black, or blue denim.

In the usual bullshit speak, the company announced, “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.”

It’s amusing that Starbucks insists on calling their staff “partners.” What they really mean, of course, is the kind of “partnership” where one side takes all the profits and gives all the orders while the other side does all the work. This is made clear by the company’s dress code that states, “Partners who come to work inappropriately dressed or with an unacceptable appearance may not be permitted to start their shifts. Failure to adhere to the dress code may result in corrective action, including separation from employment.”

“Separation from employment,” no less. It’s good to know that George Orwell is alive and well and working in the Starbucks HR department. Needless to say, when it comes to footing the bill for Starbucks’ “chic” new look, it’s the “partners” who will be forking out the money. Starbucks has graciously agreed to provide two free shirts, but the “partners” are then expected to pay for any additional clothing. As one “partner” noted, “They’re forcing baristas to pay for new clothes when we’re struggling as it is on Starbucks wages and without guaranteed hours.”

No doubt some readers will argue that staff should stop complaining and wear their two new free shirts with pride. They might also point out that Starbucks has graciously offered a variety of black shirts for their “partners” to choose from, including those promoting employee groups for minorities. Who said Starbucks doesn’t stand up for minorities? They take pride in treating all their partners equally; each and every “partner” receives the same crap pay and has the “flexibility” of never knowing how many hours they will be working each week. What more could any “partner” ask for?



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