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A Starbucks store in Buffalo, N.Y., became the first to get union representation after a 19-8 vote by employees on Thursday, further cementing one of our Top Trends for 2022 forecast that Unionization is on the rise after major companies see massive profits during the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Trends Journal has also pointed out that another result of the outbreak was that the rich got richer and the poor got poorer; 37.2 million Americans are living in poverty in the U.S., which marks a 3.3 million jump since 2019. (See “$4 TRILLION FOR BILLIONAIRES AS MIDDLE-CLASS SHRINKS” and “COVID WAR: RICH GOT RICHER, POOR GOT POORER.”)
Most Americans are stuck in their menial jobs making minimum wage with no career advancement. (See “DOLLAR GENERAL EMPLOYEES: PLANTATION WORKERS OF SLAVELANDIA.”)
Starbucks’ position has been consistent. The company believes that these workers have no reason to unionize due to “our pro-partner environment.”
Starbucks offers health care coverage for part-time workers and reimbursement for college tuition. The CNN report also pointed out that the company boasted that it pays employees more than $12 an hour and more than half its employees pull in over $15 an hour. The company said it has the best retention rate in the industry, which may raise more concerns about the industry.
The ubiquitous coffee chain has 235,000 employees and 9,000 locations spread out across the country. CNN reported that the union is set to be named Starbucks Workers United, an independent affiliate of the Service Employees International Union. (See “SPOTLIGHT: “WORKERS ON DEMAND,” “POLITICO JOURNALISTS FORM UNION. A TREND OF THE TIMES” and “LABOR UNION COMEBACK.”)
The report said employees at the location want to influence how stores are operated and also demand better wages for longtime employees who often make the same salary as new colleagues.
Reggie Borges, a Starbucks spokesman, told The Associated Press that the company will determine its next steps.
“Every partner matters. It’s how we built the company and how we will continue to run the company,” Borges said. “We will continue to focus on the best Starbucks experience we can deliver for every partner and our customers.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders held a virtual town hall with the Buffalo Starbucks workers last week and called out the $15 million pay that the company’s CEO Kevin Johnson took home.
“If Starbucks can find the money to pay their CEO nearly $15 million in compensation, I think maybe they can afford to pay their workers a decent wage with decent benefits,” he said.
TRENDPOST: “Baristas?” Back in the day when someone worked at a soda fountain they were called “Soda Jerks?
Baristas is a bullshit name given to “Coffee Jerks” by the BIGs so they make the plantation workers of Slavelandia feel as though they have a special talent and an important job. According to ZipRecruiter; “As of Oct 18, 2021, the average hourly pay for a Starbucks “Barista” in the United States is $11.64 an hour.”
TREND FORECAST: When the COVID War began in 2020, there was never an expectation of the combination of an employee shortage, spiking inflation and worker strikes.
Indeed, just the opposite was expected. After being cooped up, locked down, and out of work, when there was a ceasefire in the COVID War, the workers were expected to rush back to their jobs. As we have detailed, there are several reasons for the falloff: from “No Jab, No Job” employer mandates, not wanting to work at jobs that are unfulfilling and refusing to go to work for a company that pays non-living wages.
The Trends Journal has reported extensively on the country’s shift toward so-called gig economies and cheap labor.
See:
- “BILLIONAIRES BEAT TAXES: LITTLE PEOPLE PAY”
- “AMERICA’S RICHEST 400 FAMILIES PAY A TINY PERCENT OF FEDERAL INCOME TAX COMPARED TO THE WORKING CLASS.”
And now, with the Bigs in control in virtually every business sector, and no room to move up the corporate or small business ladder, many would rather not work at all than work at a job that pays $15 an hour or less, that will take them nowhere.
Thus, we forecast that unemployment numbers will remain high and hiring difficulties will persist. And, with more companies mandating and/or requiring employees to be vaccinated, this too will add to the job gap.