Today I can "keep my facility union free," not let my employees vote on a union until is read..., get Starbucks franchise info, OR consult a PR outfit about Social responsibility communications. Choose your poison, preferably before referring someone to S-bux about bulk coffee service for a public event. ;-(
DC
On Thu, Oct 30, 2008 at 10:18 AM, Dwayne Monroe <dwayne.monroe at gmail.com>wrote:
> Doug posted:
>
>
> <
> http://www.thebigmoney.com/articles/saga/2008/10/29/starbucks-blues?page=0,0
> >
>
> Starbucks Blues
> Lean times and labor pains are tarnishing the coffee giant's image.
>
> By Liza Featherstone
>
> <snip>
>
>
> There's always been some media bias in favor of Starbucks, which is
> perhaps why the company's worst practices have drawn so little
> attention. Unlike frumpy, red-state Wal-Mart, Starbucks, with its jazz
> compilations and recycled napkins, is our kind of company. Yet when it
> comes to mistreatment of employees, says labor activist and former
> Starbucks barista Daniel Gross (no relation to the Slate writer of the
> same name), who was fired from the company for union organizing,
> "Every retailer-McDonald's, Wal-Mart-does the same things. The
> difference is that Starbucks has really succeeded in convincing people
> that it's better."
>
>
> [...]
>
>
> ....
>
>
>
> Awesome article.
>
> And, an excellent example of something I've grown increasingly
> interested in: the way self-styled neo-businesses mask timeworn forms
> of labor exploitation with a veil of pleasant phrases and egalitarian
> imagery.
>
>
> It brings to mind something Leo Panitch said during your 10/4/08
> interview with him and Sam Gindon (paraphrasing): 'one of the
> paradoxes of the mainstream left is its insistence that capitalism can
> be made to work for the poor. '
>
> See -- <http://www.leftbusinessobserver.com/Radio.html#081004>
>
>
> A related paradox might be people's belief that the urge to maximize
> profit via exploitation can be permanently mitigated by a company
> having a 'social conscience'.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> .d.
>
>
>
> --
> " Hong Wen- Ting. You must be out of your mind to try to fight me.
> With your childish Tiger- Crane skill. You've got no chance, but to
> join your friend Ah-Piao in Hell for more lessons."
>
>
> White Lotus Chief
> ..............................
> http://monroelab.net/blog/
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>