Colorado Springs Starbucks workers strike, accuse company of ‘pulling back’ support for LGBTQ+ community

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Workers and activists were on strike Friday in front of the Garden of the Gods Road Starbucks location after they claim Starbucks pulled back support for the LGBTQ+ community.

The store was closed as workers were out front with signs that read things like "Honk for Human Rights" and t-shirts that read "Be Gay and Organize."

One shift lead at the Starbucks and a union member said the Garden of the Gods location has been unionized for a year now but they have yet to have any contract negotiations with the company.

The group's chief complaint today was that Starbucks banned pride or pro-LGBTQ flags or decor from hanging in their locations.

Employees said this is a change of heart from the company's past behavior. One employee said Starbucks had gone so far as to send some locations pride decor to hang up in past years.

"Speaking for my store specifically, every partner in this shift is part of the LGBT. So, I feel like being like 'we support you we love you we hear you' and then when we need them to hear us they're kind of ghosting us," Starbucks employee and union member Mackenzie Webb said.

KRDO reached out to Starbucks for comment. A spokesperson told us Starbucks has not pulled any Pride merchandise from stores nor has the company altered corporate policies or approach to celebrating Pride Month. The spokesperson went on to state:

"We unwaveringly support the LGBTQIA2+ community. It is inaccurate to report that Starbucks has issued a ban on Pride decorations as there has been no change to company policy on this matter. We remain deeply concerned by false information being spread about our inclusive store environments, our company culture and the benefits we offer our partners." 

Starbucks spokesperson

KRDO was also provided by statements from CEO Laxman Narasimhan and an additional company statement.

“We want to be crystal clear – Starbucks has been and will continue to be at the forefront of supporting the LGBTQIA2+ community, and we will not waver in that commitment! Despite today’s public commentary, there has been no change to any of our policies as it relates to our inclusive store environments, our company culture and the benefits we offer our partners. We continue to encourage our store leaders to celebrate with their communities including for U.S. Pride month in June, as we always have."

Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan

"Workers United continues to spread false information about our benefits, policies and negotiation efforts—a tactic used to seemingly divide our partners and deflect from their failure to respond to bargaining sessions for more than 200 stores.”  

“We apologize to our customers who may experience an inconvenience at these locations and encourage customers to find any of our more than 9,000 stores open nearby using our store locator available online or through the Starbucks mobile app.” 

Starbucks

The spokesperson directed KRDO to a letter sent by VP of partner resources Jensen to Workers United President Lynne Fox on June 14 titled “Workers United’s Willfully and Recklessly False Statements and Blatant Fear Mongering Among the LGBTQIA2+ Community,” which directly addresses the alleged false claims made by Workers United regarding the company's commitments to the LGBTQIA2+ community and demanding the union cease from knowingly misleading partners.  

This was a one-day strike and employees said if they had a shift scheduled for Friday they received strike pay to cover the hours they missed.