Starbucks officials said that employees enjoyed favorable working conditions compared with others in the retail industry. "We're proud to be one of the most progressive employers in the United States in terms of benefits, offering stock options, healthcare and working conditions," Koster said.
But pro-union employees have denounced what they call low wages (typically from $7.50 to $10 an hour), inadequate healthcare benefits and a grueling scheduling regimen.
The new-media campaign "puts the lie to this widely promulgated notion that Starbucks is a socially responsible company," said Daniel Gross, a former barista in New York who is an organizer with the IWW Starbucks Workers Union. "The bottom line is that Starbucks baristas are not rewarded with respect for the hard work they put in every day."
In December, a National Labor Relations Board judge in New York ruled that Starbucks had illegally fired three baristas, including Gross, and violated other labor laws as it sought to squelch an organizing drive. Starbucks is appealing.
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patrick.mcdonnell@latimes.com
