Starbucks Threatens to Take Away Trans Rights at Stores That Unionize

[Behind the Aegis]

Multiple employees have alleged that Starbucks is threatening to take away trans healthcare coverage at locations that plan to unionize, according to a Bloomberg report. The move comes shortly after the company offered to cover employee costs for travel expenses for obtaining trans and reproductive health care.

Workers United, the coffee chain’s burgeoning union, filed a charge against the company with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on Monday, according to a copy of the charge obtained by Them. The filing alleges that in the past six months, Starbucks has created a “coercive and hostile environment meant to intimidate and prevent its employees from supporting Workers United.”

That reportedly includes “threatening employees with the loss of benefits (including the loss of gender-affirming healthcare for transgender employees) if they voted to be represented by a union,” in addition to reducing hours, removing store managers following union activities, offering pay raises to non-unionized stores, and more. (It’s worth noting that Starbucks’ trans healthcare coverage only extends to those who work at least 20 hours a week, meaning that cutting hours is a double-edged sword for trans workers who don’t want to lose their coverage.)

Neha Cremin, a Starbucks worker in Oklahoma City, told Them via email that most of her coworkers are queer, with many of them relying on trans healthcare benefits.

more...