Nearly five years since the first Starbucks location unionised, contract negotiations are still dragging on. Can external pressure from shareholders and human-rights campaigners make a difference?
It's the Coffee News Roundup: Week Ending June 12th
For paid subscribers: retail coffee prices have soared in recent years, driven by climbing commodity costs and tariff stupidity. Some of those pressures have now started to ease, and yet retail prices continue to rise. Will they ever come down?
Why does Starbucks insist on antagonizing its core customer base?
Many college campuses serve Starbucks—Gen Z is, after all, fueling Starbucks continued growth—but now some students are urging their universities to ditch the company over its anti-union tactics. “This can happen on any university campus, with any affiliate of Starbucks, and it will happen if they continue to union-bust,” said Nick Wilson, a Cornell student and former Starbucks worker.
Plus, Cxffeeblack is raising funds for its barista exchange program, and Dean from Dean’s Beans Organic Coffee is retiring and the company is becoming a worker-owned co-op.
Read the full Roundup over at Fresh Cup Magazine:
I’ll be back this Friday with a new feature, but until then it’s goodbye from Merlin:
It's the Coffee News Roundup: Week Ending June 12th
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