It’s dishonest to claim that this expansion of a benefit came from corporate, especially in a “week’s time” when the company had this proposed to them well over a year ago. It shouldn’t have taken a negotiator asking why corporate babies are more important than workers babies to get this. Of course, we are talking about the worst labor law violators to date… it’s sad that the CEO of this company makes the equivalent of 150k AN HOUR while the workers who have been with the company for years make barely over a dollar more than new baristas. The company offered a joke of a pay raise this year, which is a slap in the face of the people who earn that 150k/ hour for Brian Niccol. Not to mention when factoring inflation into the equation, you actually end up with this “raise” being a pay cut. Super great business they’re running. Keep unionizing, SWU, stay Union strong @sbworkersunited

Disappointing to see The False Tradeoff pushing forward The False Narrative that Starbucks is doing anything positive for their employees of their own free will rather than because Starbucks Workers United demands it. Calls into question the legitimacy of this entire podcast. Take the episode down.

Starbucks workers fought tooth and nail for parental leave—to pretend that management graciously handed it over ignores all the time that starbucks corporate spent dragging their feet and violating labor law. This was won by the workers!!

Instead of crediting Starbucks for an expanded parental leave benefit that they took without credit from the Starbucks union’s bargaining proposal, consider interviewing a working class Starbucks Workers United union member/barista about how their work led to better benefits for workers! Just a thought :^)

RE: #34: Why Did Starbucks Triple Its Paid Parental Leave Benefit? What a disingenuous take. This parental leave for workers came from organized workers, not management, despite what Sara Kelly says and during a "week's timeframe". Starbucks had this parental leave proposal from organized workers, alongside all of our proposals for way over a year, while the company became the worst labor law violator in modern history in response to our organizing. However, because of the support of the entire labor movement, we dragged Starbucks back to the bargaining table and won this. To quote a worker (elected bargaining delegate) who was at the bargaining table with Starbucks on this issue, Madi Oates, “Starbucks did not move on this policy until the following month after I confronted them at the bargaining table with my peers. When I asked, "what makes your child more important than mine?" After bringing up their then current policy, I was met from pure silence from their side of the table. The fact this company still wants to take credit even after being called out is ludacris.” This is an example of what happens when workers organize, demand, and win higher labor standards. Just like the reason why Starbucks workers have part-time benefits, the demands of the first Starbucks organizers, UFCW 1001 in Seattle in 1985, two years before Howard Schultz bought the company and claimed credit. However, Starbucks has yet to resolve hundreds of labor law violations in response to organizing, or bargain in good faith. CEO Brian Niccol makes the equivalent of $150,000/hr while many of my long-tenured coworkers barely make a dollar more than starting baristas, and the company only offered 30¢ raises this year, which is a pay cut with inflation. Proud to stand with 11,000 organized Starbucks workers across the country, fighting for higher labor standards. You can support organizing baristas by following us on social media at @sbworkersunited

Just listened to the newest episode with the Starbucks executive. They blatantly take credit for improving parental leave benefits after their workers union, Starbucks Workers United, did the heavy lifting. Workers had been asking for expanded parental leave for years - I’d know, as a Starbucks worker who started about 7 years ago. Parentaly seems to have taken the corporate kool-aid at face value. I left a comment about it on their Instagram and they deleted it afterwards. Seems to me like the editorial team is in deep pockets with executives - I don’t like that.

Thank you for having these conversations that affect so many of us.

Love the shorter episodes and interesting, differentiated takes