There Is A Level Of Shame Working At Starbucks

[matcom]

<snip>

When Tracy Morgan found herself in need of work not long ago, she picked up a counter job at the Pioneer Courthouse Square Starbucks. The 28-year-old University of Oregon art graduate found it a relaxed enough endeavor that she had energy to pursue her real passion--charming up homes as an interior designer--on the side.

There was just one problem--one her friends never forgot to remind her about: She worked at Starbucks.

"People gave me crap about it constantly," she says. "There's a level of shame that comes with working there. The worst was when I called home to tell my parents I got the job, and my own father told me, 'Jesus Christ, you sold out!'"

Starbucks. Like death, taxes and emails pushing Viagra, you just can't avoid it. As the company keeps slapping its logo on more surfaces in Portland and around the world, the opposition against it is growing as well.

http://www.wweek.com/story.php?story=5137

[catzies]

1. Yes, you CAN avoid Starbucks. You just don't go. Period.

Last time I checked, no one drags anyone there against their will.

I will drink cold, sludgy, day-old gas station coffee before I drink Starbucks.

[callous taoboy]

2. Yeah, but a student

just gave me a 10 dollar gift certificate to Starblechs. Another has given me 60 dollars worth of gift certificates to... Mal-Wart. Gotta go. Money is money when you teach. Normally I avoid these places like the plague.

[catzies]

28. Free money is free money.

:thumbsup:

[underpants]

3. An art student having trouble finding work?

or a comb?

:bounce:

[m-jean03]

6. Or deodorant?

*ducks* :silly:

[Whitacre D_WI]

8. I didn't know you were an art student!

:P

[m-jean03]

13. I'm not!!

From the smell, I thought YOU were though!! :P

[Whitacre D_WI]

15. Well, if it's not me, and it's not you...

...what the hell is that stench? :shrug:


Hey! Doesn't that sound like a great idea for a new game show? "What the Hell Is That Stench?"

[m-jean03]

17. Actually, that sounds like a good reality show.

About a group of art students living together... :D

[Whitacre D_WI]

19. Hey!

Good call!

[PittPoliSci]

34. I guess none of the major art corporations are hiring...

It's really a shame...:D

[cheezus]

4. a college grad working a menial service job IS shameful!

not for that person, but for our society.

[ArkDem]

7. Everywhere else in the world there is an unending supply

of jobs for art graduates.

[Bridget Burke]

11. Define "menial"

Is that the sort of job that should be reserved for non-white, immigrant, uneducated, not-our-sort trash?

Sorry, lots of people work in service jobs. Sometimes temporarily--while in school or when times are tough. Perhaps the woman in the story could get a 40-hour-a-week corporate-drone type job--but she's trying to build her decorating business & the Starbuck's schedule is better for now.

Some people work in service jobs all their lives. That sort of work ought to offer a living wage & decent beverages--and respect from those you serve.

Don't care much for Starbuck's myself, but this employee is dealing with snobbishness. Why didn't she turn down the job & wait for something more groovy?

[cheezus]

18. you're totally right

nobody should have to work a no-respect job that doesn't pay a living wage

[Bridget Burke]

30. error correction: "decent benefits" --not "decent beverages"

Ho Ho. Too late to edit!

[coloradodem2005]

16. I have looked down the barrell of that gun last year.

I have a fundraising job, which in it of itself is not much better, but I am fundraising for the Democrats and various things like ASPCA, Public Citizen and Mother Jones. As much as I would like to do better, this will have to suffice now. Considering what I am fundraising for makes the job more worthwhile.

[Nikia]

33. It undermines the idea that education=high paying job

Many people out there think that a college education is the key to making a lot of money. Unfortunately, this seems to not be the case. There are many other graduates who also have to take low level jobs. If one thinks of college as an investment, they lost out. They would have been better off not going (if you look at education merely in terms of financial success). Unfortunately, some of these low level jobs do require a college diploma. I am suprised, for instance, at the number of lab jobs in my area which require a four year science degree which are paying $10.00 or even less.

[forgethell]

5. OK, I can't keep up with every issue

What's the problem with Starbucks? Environmetal? Sweat-shop third world exploitation?

[NJCher]

9. hasn't Starbucks donated primarily to Democrats?

Seems like I read that before. Anyone know?

If you read through the "charges," Starbucks comes clean on most of them. They also aren't the bad of an employer. From the article:


Starbucks creates a lot of jobs--1,750 in the Portland metro area alone--and from a benefits standpoint, it's probably the best employer in its sector. Though baristas start at $7.25 an hour, every Starbucks employee who works 20 hours a week or more receives health insurance (including dental and vision), a 401(k), a stock-options plan and--beginning in August--partial tuition reimbursement. Few people love pouring coffee all day, but these perks have made Starbucks' annual turnover rate just 60 percent, compared with an industry average of 200 percent.


Cher

[Champ]

10. That's ok

I just got scheduled for an interview with ELITE ACQUISITIONS INC. Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hopefully I perform well. :)

[physioex]

12. In all fairness....

I think Starbucks treats it employees the best of all the so called chains like McDonalds, Burger King, etc.... I think that they offer health benefits to part time employees, and in general are more understanding. Not that their company doesn't represent the corporatization of america...

[smirkymonkey]

23. But as far as corporations go, it's one of the better ones...

Why aren't people as up in arms about corporations that really abuse their employees, don't give back to the community & environment, etc.? There is certainly no shortage of evil corporate entities to malign.

It almost seems like it's trendy or cool to hate Starbucks. Why exactly does it deserve our contempt more so than other corporate chains?

[GregW]

14. I go there, I drink there, I enjoy it

The people behind the counter are my friends.

Bite me.

[David__77]

20. At least Starbusk's has health coverage and better pay than...

...comparable small business coffee shops. I would choose to work there instead of a lower-paying individually-owned coffee shop.

[HuckleB]

22. That's quite a generalization.

And it's not true, in many cases.

[HuckleB]

21. Hey, Seattle needs the profits!

Why buy locally when you can help pay to build Seattle's grand new library, or its new freeway?

[zauberflote]

24. Put outrage where it belongs

800 soldiers dead in Iraq, $2-a-gallon gasoline, Abu Ghraib, Afghanistan, war profiteering, civil liberties eroding, "Clean skies initiative" polluting the skies, "Leave no child behind" leaving children behind, forest protection devastating forests, Al Qaeda is thriving, Bush is still president and we're worried about what kind of coffee we're sipping?!?!!?
I like Starbucks. Make mine Sumatra black.
The people I know who work at Starbucks like it there.
If it's Capitalism that's bugging you there are far, far better targets out there.
Cheers!

[HuckleB]

25. How does criticism become "outrage"?

Sorry, but there's nothing wrong with a good dose of criticism. That's what this country was built upon. Nothing wrong with that. So let's not go overboard and call it "outrage."

Sheesh.

By the way, gas is $2.40 a gallon in these here parts, so give us some of your outrage please! $2.00 a gallon would be a dream come true right now.

[zauberflote]

31. And still climbing

You're right. I bought gas last Friday for $2.02. I saw today the same gas station was up to $2.08. Yikes. But I'm in Jersey, where apparently it's still one of the cheapest places.

[regularguy]

26. No shame in dragging one's ass to work......

Her "friends" who are giving her shit about it should just give her some money.

[northzax]

27. look at it this way

starbucks raised the bar. Sure, coffee is expensive now, and in 1990 you could get decent to good coffee in most places, but you know what your odds were of getting an expresso in Iowa City? not good. or Cleveland? try getting a caffe latte outside of NY, LA or a fancy restaurant. didn't happen. Starbucks changed that. you know what the local coffee place, if you even had one, sold before Starbucks came to town? probably sludge. When I lived in Toledo, we used to get coffee at McDonalds, cause it was the best you could buy (no Dunkin Donuts, you see)

I'm so sorry for any local business that failed when Starbucks came to town, but be realistic for a moment: they aren't walmart, underpricing everyone while treating their employees like shit, they aren't McDonald's, marketing like mad to children and selling stuff that is actually not real good for you, while treating their employees margianally better, Starbucks sells luxury. If there was a market for 95 cent bad coffee, there wouldn't be starbucks anywhere. Starbucks isn't undercutting anyone, they sell coffee for two bucks a cup and up! that is not cheaper. and they don't advertise much, you don't see tie ins to movies, or TV commericals, nothing except the odd bus or metro poster. so what's the secret, you figure? they must sell something that people like, at a price they are willing to pay.

Take the beans, a pound at *$s will cost you at least ten bucks, a pound of Folgers at Safeway basically half that. So why buy the starbucks? maybe it is simply better?


from where I sit, here in Dupont circle, I can think of seven coffee shops, within six or seven blocks, (not counting the five starbucks) that seem to be doing well for themselves, and they all owe their existence to Starbucks. They owe their espresso machines and their high margian lattes to starbucks. Me, I don't really miss greasy spoons, maybe you do. the next time you have an espresso based drink, or a slightly exotic coffee (or tea, natch) (that's anything except arabica beans) and you aren't in a fancy restaurant in NY, LA, SF or Miami, say a little thank you to Starbucks, the people who brought a bit of luxury to the masses.

[DS1]

29. I'd have rather worked at a Starbucks than a CVS

At least I'd leave knowing how to make a decent cuppa joe

[henslee]

32. F*ck people who judge other people who take a job cause they need it.

Yeah, SB might be evil but come on.

35. the Reverend has the answer

Against the Evil of Chain Stores


http://revbilly.com/revsite/Writings/writings.htm


here's a snippet

God in heaven, we need a place like Barcelona on the earth. We were so moved by this capital of Peace, with its liquid Gaudi stone and Dali clocks and Miro ganglia, we had to stop and really think. We were met at the airport by 60 laughing radicals who wanted to go straight to a Starbucks. We had to shake-and-bake a sermon just to get to baggage claim. “Our neighborhood is our body. And when our heart is cut out and a new heart is cut in, then our body accepts the new love muscle or throws a fit. CHILDREN STARBUCKS HAS COME TO BARCELONA!! That is pre-emptively preposterous, we are outraged – but let us give the Green Mermaid With No Nipples the chance we would give a cut-in heart. Let’s find out if our neighborhood, our body, will accept this foreign object. What does the immune system think? Let’s have a test. LET US NOW EAT THE FAKE CAFÉ!! LET US TAKE IT INTO OUR BODY! LET US LICK IT !!!!