Starbucks To Close 16 Stores , Over Safety Concerns.
AP reports that on July 12, Starbucks said it will be closing certain stores around the country in response to safety concerns made by staff.
Debbie Stroud and Denise Nelson, Starbucks' senior vice presidents of operations, .
Issued a letter to employees explaining that the stores aren't immune from issues like drug use and the mental health crisis.
We know these challenges can, at times, play out within our stores too.
We read every incident report you file — it’s a lot, Debbie Stroud and Denise Nelson, Starbucks' senior vice presidents of operations, via letter.
The stores that will be closing include six in Seattle, six in L.A., two in Portland, one in Philadelphia and one in Washington.
AP reports some Starbucks workers have criticized the move, saying they weren't consulted or provided options other than closure.
We think it is not fair that we were not allowed to be a part of this decision about our working conditions, nor for Starbucks to claim they could not provide a safe experience for our workplace, Mari Cosgrove, an employee at one of the Seattle stores that is closing, via AP.
The store closures come at a time when Starbucks is facing ongoing unionization efforts at various locations.
AP reports that two of the stores scheduled to close in Seattle voted to unionize, and one of the locations in Portland petitioned to hold a union vote.
A unionized store in Ithaca, New York, was also shuttered last month due to operational issues.
The company insists the closures aren't related to unionization efforts.
But Starbucks Workers United plans to file unfair labor practice charges against the coffee giant regarding the two stores in Seattle that are closing
