On Thursday, February 22, students from more than two dozen colleges demanded their institutions “cancel their contracts with Starbucks in protest against the company’s response to union organizing efforts,” according to TheGuardian (UK).
Students from California to New York - in conjunction with Starbucks Workers United - pointed to the coffee giant’s less-than-worker-friendly tactics in dealing with demands for unionizing. Restaurant Dive lists some of those tactics, which include “workplace surveillance and diluting the electoral pool at unionizing locations, firing workers involved with the union in alleged retaliation, and alleged solicitation of grievances in an effort to stymie union organizing.”
The powerful cede power only when forced to, and it’ll be most interesting to see what effect these and other protests have on Starbucks’ policy. The Guardian reports that . . .
“nearly 400 Starbucks stores around the US have won union elections to join Starbucks Workers United since December 2021...but a first union contract for any store has yet to be reached.”
As any giant corporation would, Starbucks claimed there’s nothing to see here, folks, just move along now...Several sources quote a spokesperson for the coffee chain: “While we remain longstanding advocates of civil discourse, our focus is on fulfilling our promise to offer a bridge to a better future for all partners – through competitive pay, industry-leading benefits for part-time work, and our continued efforts to negotiate fair contracts for partners at stores that have chosen union representation.”
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill student Haya Odeh puts about as much credence into that statement as you do. “We’re just not going to let Starbucks slide with the injustices they pass on to workers,” she’s quoted in The Guardian. “Their union busting is just the very tip of the iceberg. Their labor practices and how they treat their workers, we want to push the message that we’re not going to stand for this as students.”
Georgetown University’s paper TheHoya reported on a panel discussion held on February 22, sponsored by Georgetown Students Against Starbucks (GSAS). “Panelist Meghin Martin, a former partner at Starbucks and member of SWU, said Starbucks has refused to engage in good faith bargaining, a type of negotiation in which both parties must sincerely resolve to reach a collective bargaining agreement.
‘Their whole game plan is running the union dry, wait as long as they possibly can, and hope that we either just give up, we run out of money.’”
Speaking of money, Starbucks has quite a lot of it. Those protesting its labor practices have gumption, dedication to the cause of the worker, and the desire to end corporate exploitation.
Time will declare the victor. For the moment, a cup of coffee would be terrific. A nice, home-brewed cup in a porcelain mug that can be used time and again...
The Inside Scoop On The Latest Teeth Whitening Trend Everyone Is Talking About
We're living in an age of endless photographs, dating apps, and living our lives online. So sometimes, it can feel like we only get one shot at presenting ourselves to the world.
So, we get it. We all want to look our best. And the old saying is true: there is nothing more beautiful than a big, confident smile.
Our editors have tried just about every teeth whitening treatment under the sun, from whitening strips that were super painful to charcoal toothpaste that worked, but made such a mess - oral care is always at the top of our beauty research.
We're always super eager to try anything that combines beauty with practicality, so when we discovered the BURST Electric Toothbrush, we were intrigued by its promises to not only clean better than any other toothbrush but to also whiten your teeth.
What makes BURST different than other electric toothbrushes?
Everything! BURST is one of the only brushes on the market that has the goods to back up its claims. Recommended by over 25,000 dental professionals, it is clinically proven to remove up to ten times more plaque than its manual counterpart. The 33,000 sonic vibrations a minute and thin charcoal bristles make reaching those hard-to-clean places a breeze.
How exactly does it whiten?
When we tried the whole charcoal toothpaste trend, we were super impressed with the results, but boy did it make a mess in our all-white bathroom! BURST'ssoft charcoal-infused PBT bristles are designed to remove surface stains gently and effectively, leaving your teeth looking and feeling radiant. Seriously, our teeth haven't felt so clean since our last visit to the dentist!
I have sensitive teeth and gums, is BURST right for me?
YES! Most people assume that harder bristles result in a deeper, more thorough clean, but in fact, the exact opposite is true. Softer bristles are kinder to your enamel and will actually clean much better.
With BURST, there's no need to scrub your teeth in a back-and-forth motion, all you have to do is let it work its magic. It will prompt you to move to a new part of your mouth every 30 seconds by gently vibrating, and will automatically turn off after 2 minutes (the perfect brushing time recommended by dentists!)/ BURST also helps reduce bleeding gums by up to 3 times in just 15 days when compared to a manual toothbrush.
What else do you love about it?
So much! The timer is not the only cool tech feature giving BURST its edge on all the rest. Its long-lasting Lithium Battery lasts for a whole month once fully charged, so you can take it with you anywhere without having to lug around a charger. Plus, they're super convenient subscription delivers a new replacement head right to your door every 90 days for as low as $6. We also love that BURST comes in 3 colors; black, white and our personal fave, rose gold!
There's a reason everyone is talking about BURST. It cleans better than any other toothbrush we've ever tried, whitens and removes surface stains, and has an insane battery life. With kits starting at only $74.99 (with free shipping!) BURSTis the perfect way to marry your oral care and beauty routine together to get the beautiful smile you've always wanted.
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