UPDATE: Following our disclosure of the District Managers' letter, Starbucks has been forced to address the issue publicly for the first time. Contrary to its claim, it appears that the company is in fact not taking the complaints from the DMs seriously. Here is Starbucks' short statement:

"Starbucks takes any accusations such as these very seriously. When we were made aware of these claims, we immediately began a thorough internal investigation as per our standard practice. We have found the claims to be without merit."

For Immediate Release:
IWW Starbucks Workers Union

February 11, 2010

Howard Schultz Still Silent Amid Growing Evidence of a Hostile Work Environment

New York, NY- In a risky departure from the normal chain of command, a group of Starbucks district managers have authored an impassioned letter to top executives in Seattle demanding that action be taken against a company vice president allegedly engaged in pervasive sexual harassment.

The letter, which was made available to the IWW Starbucks Workers Union, alleges that Regional Vice President Andrew Alfano has created an unsafe work environment with his behavior and is responsible for the departure of two female regional directors, among many other troubling charges.

The district managers are demanding disciplinary action against Mr. Alfano, a favorite of top company brass, and state that they were compelled to act after a widely-watched 20/20 segment aired on Starbucks barista Kati Moore who was repeatedly raped by her supervisor and then subjected to intimidation tactics from Starbucks' lawyers.

The SWU has made the letter available on its website.

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STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY WITH KATI MOORE
from the IWW Starbucks Workers Union


    Kati Moore is a hero.  


    We, as workers at Starbucks, stand in complete solidarity with former barista, Kati Moore.  Kati, at 20 years old, has far more integrity than the 56 year-old billionaire, Starbucks' CEO, Howard Schultz.  She has taken a fierce stand on behalf of every worker who has been made to feel that they were merely the sexual property of an abusive, manipulative employer.  When Kati came forward, we felt that she did so in an effort to protect each and every barista at Starbucks, and every underage employee working in retail, from experiencing her pain.  We hope that her courage will give others the strength to speak up, and the strength to fight back when they feel they are at their weakest.  Kati's experience shows us that we CAN stare down corporations like Starbucks and declare that we deserve to feel safe at work, that we deserve respect, and that we, if victimized, are not alone.  

STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY WITH KATI MOORE
from the IWW Starbucks Workers Union


    Kati Moore is a hero.  


    We, as workers at Starbucks, stand in complete solidarity with former barista, Kati Moore.  Kati, at 20 years old, has far more integrity than the 56 year-old billionaire, Starbucks' CEO, Howard Schultz.  She has taken a fierce stand on behalf of every worker who has been made to feel that they were merely the sexual property of an abusive, manipulative employer.  When Kati came forward, we felt that she did so in an effort to protect each and every barista at Starbucks, and every underage employee working in retail, from experiencing her pain.  We hope that her courage will give others the strength to speak up, and the strength to fight back when they feel they are at their weakest.  Kati's experience shows us that we CAN stare down corporations like Starbucks and declare that we deserve to feel safe at work, that we deserve respect, and that we, if victimized, are not alone.  

For Immediate Release:
Industrial Workers of the World (NYC)

January 18, 2010

IWW demands that coffee giant pay workers the same premium it pays on other federal holidays

New York, NY- The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) branch here held a march and rally at Starbucks today to call on the corporation to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the federal holiday commemorating his birth. The Starbucks Workers Union of the IWW is demanding that Starbucks pay a holiday premium to baristas who work on MLK Day just as the Seattle-based chain does for five other federal holidays.

“Starbucks claims to support diversity with 'the idea of inclusion,' but the company effectively treats MLK Day as a second class holiday,” said Henry Marin, a Starbucks barista and member of the union. “It is truly a dishonor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and to the values and ideals that he represents.”

The union rallied outside of the Union Square East Starbucks location with supporters and the Rude Mechanical Orchestra marching band. In between speakers, supporters chanted phrases such as “overpriced coffee, underpaid workers” and “no union, no latte.”