Starbucks to close 8,000 U.S. stores for racial tolerance training

By Lisa Baertlein

 

Police officers monitor activity outside as protestors demonstrate inside a Center City Starbucks, where two black men were arrested, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania U.S., April 16, 2018. REUTERS/Mark Makela

 

(Reuters) - Starbucks Corp <SBUX.O> will close 8,000 company-owned U.S. cafes for the afternoon on May 29 so 175,000 employees can undergo racial tolerance training in response to protests and calls for boycotts after the arrest of two black men waiting in a Philadelphia store.

 

The company said in the Tuesday announcement that it will also provide training materials for non-company workers at the roughly 6,000 licensed Starbucks cafes that will remain open in locations such as grocery stores and airports.

 

The announcement from world's biggest coffee company comes as it tries to cool tensions after the Philadelphia incident last week sparked accusations of racial profiling at the chain, which is the subject of a boycott campaign on social media.

 

The controversy is the biggest public relations test yet for new Starbucks Chief Executive Kevin Johnson, who already was fighting to boost traffic to Starbucks amid competition from coffee sellers ranging from hipster cafes to fast-food chains and convenience stores.

 

"While this is not limited to Starbucks, we're committed to being a part of the solution," said Johnson, a former technology executive who took the helm about a year ago.

 

Even if the threatened boycott does not materialise, the 8,000 temporary store closures will almost certainly have an impact on sales.

 

Starbucks did not say how many hours the stores would be shuttered on May 29, but the afternoon is the slowest time for Starbucks' business.

 

Starbucks is one of the most high-profile and beloved brands in the world and its long-time CEO Howard Schultz was not one to shy away from difficult conversations over thorny issues such as gay marriage, gun control and Congressional gridlock.

 

However U.S. race relations have proven more challenging, even for a company that touts its diverse workforce -- minorities account for 18 percent of Starbucks executives with the title of senior vice president or higher and 43 percent of employees overall.

 

For example, the company's 2015 "Race Together" campaign to foster a conversation on the topic following the high-profile police shootings of several unarmed black men stirred an intense social media backlash.

 

Johnson has apologised for the "reprehensible" arrests of the two men in Philadelphia on Thursday and took personal responsibility for the incident, which was captured in a customer video that was shared widely.

 

Starbucks attorneys said Johnson and the men, who were released without charges, have "engaged in constructive discussions about this issue as well as what is happening in communities across the country."

 

Philadelphia Police late on Tuesday released the series of calls that led to their arrests.

 

It begins with a Starbucks employee reporting "two gentlemen in my cafe that are refusing to make a purchase or leave." The manager who is believed to have made that call, no longer works for Starbucks.

 

In a subsequent call, an unidentified man said a "group of males" was "causing a disturbance" that required backup and a supervisor.

Philadelphia's police commissioner over the weekend defended the arrests, saying his officers had to act after Starbucks employees told them the pair were trespassing.

 

"It's good that Starbucks is giving all staff race trainings on May 29. But let's not lose sight of the real problem which is police accountability," Tiffany Dena Loftin, director of the youth and college division at NAACP, told Reuters.

 

Shares in Starbucks closed up 0.7 percent at $59.83 on Tuesday and are relatively unchanged in the week since the arrests.

 

(Reporting by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-04-18

Is it still possible to order black coffee?

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Philadelphia Police late on Tuesday released the series of calls that led to their arrests.

 

It begins with a Starbucks employee reporting "two gentlemen in my cafe that are refusing to make a purchase or leave." The manager who is believed to have made that call, no longer works for Starbucks.

 

In a subsequent call, an unidentified man said a "group of males" was "causing a disturbance" that required backup and a supervisor.

Philadelphia's police commissioner over the weekend defended the arrests, saying his officers had to act after Starbucks employees told them the pair were trespassing.

 

So, what does that incident have to do with racial tolerance/intolerance?? Sounds to me more like gender discrimination... 

The tables are for customers, customers buy products.  I suppose the training session will be to instruct the staff that this does not apply to all races.

Queue the faux outrage from our resident keyboard warriors..

Why was he wrong to call the police when the 2 men refused to leave the shop?  They refused to buy anything and BOTH wanted to use the toilets (which are for customers).  So he had no choice but to call the police if they were refusing to leave.  

 

 

2 hours ago, jak2002003 said:

Why was he wrong to call the police when the 2 men refused to leave the shop?  They refused to buy anything and BOTH wanted to use the toilets (which are for customers).  So he had no choice but to call the police if they were refusing to leave.  

 

 

The CEO of this 'Private Business' obviously believes his staff acted inappropriately. 

 

What does that suggest to you?

Edited April 18, 20188 yr by Chomper Higgot

2 hours ago, daoyai said:

The tables are for customers, customers buy products.  I suppose the training session will be to instruct the staff that this does not apply to all races.

I suspect the training session will address racial tolerance and why racial intolerance has no place in the Starbuck's business, premisses or management.

 

But you are free to imagine other subjects being instructed if getting upset by what you yourself imagine is your thing. 

3 hours ago, Darcula said:

Is it still possible to order black coffee?

Yes, sometimes gingerly, I usually also say, no room for WHITE milk please!

Edited April 18, 20188 yr by Jingthing

8 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Yes, sometimes gingerly, I usually also say, no room for WHITE milk please!

No you don't but we'll chuckle along as if you do if it makes you happy.

It's pretty simple.  If you are asked by the proprietor or manager of a business to leave, under PA law, then you must leave. These men were given multiple chances by law enforcement to leave and they refused.

 

 

§ 3503.  Criminal trespass.

(b)  Defiant trespasser.--

(1)  A person commits an offense if, knowing that he is not licensed or privileged to do so, he enters or remains in any place as to which notice against trespass is given by:

(i)  actual communication to the actor;

(ii)  posting in a manner prescribed by law or reasonably likely to come to the attention of intruders;

(iii)  fencing or other enclosure manifestly designed to exclude intruders;

(iv)  notices posted in a manner prescribed by law or reasonably likely to come to the person's attention at each entrance of school grounds that visitors are prohibited without authorization from a designated school, center or program official; or

(v)  an actual communication to the actor to leave school grounds as communicated by a school, center or program official, employee or agent or a law enforcement officer.

(2)  Except as provided in paragraph (1)(v), an offense under this subsection constitutes a misdemeanor of the third degree if the offender defies an order to leave personally communicated to him by the owner of the premises or other authorized person. An offense under paragraph (1)(v) constitutes a misdemeanor of the first degree. Otherwise it is a summary offense.

Edited April 18, 20188 yr by sukhumvitneon

1 minute ago, sukhumvitneon said:

It's pretty simple.  If you are asked by the proprietor or manager of a business to leave, under PA law, then you must leave.

 

§ 3503.  Criminal trespass.

(b)  Defiant trespasser.--

(1)  A person commits an offense if, knowing that he is not licensed or privileged to do so, he enters or remains in any place as to which notice against trespass is given by:

(i)  actual communication to the actor;

(ii)  posting in a manner prescribed by law or reasonably likely to come to the attention of intruders;

(iii)  fencing or other enclosure manifestly designed to exclude intruders;

(iv)  notices posted in a manner prescribed by law or reasonably likely to come to the person's attention at each entrance of school grounds that visitors are prohibited without authorization from a designated school, center or program official; or

(v)  an actual communication to the actor to leave school grounds as communicated by a school, center or program official, employee or agent or a law enforcement officer.

(2)  Except as provided in paragraph (1)(v), an offense under this subsection constitutes a misdemeanor of the third degree if the offender defies an order to leave personally communicated to him by the owner of the premises or other authorized person. An offense under paragraph (1)(v) constitutes a misdemeanor of the first degree. Otherwise it is a summary offense.

 

The issue at hand is not trespass. 

 

If you have difficulty understanding that, write to the CEO of Starbucks an ask him why he's taking the extraordinary steps he is.

 

Specifically ask him why his are staff being given Racial Training and not being trained in the laws of trespass?

 

It's pretty simple if you think about it. 

Why should Starbucks apologize for the 2 men being arrested?

 

The Police made the decision to arrest them.

 

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The issue at hand is not trespass. 

 

If you have difficulty understanding that, write to the CEO of Starbucks an ask him why he's taking the extraordinary steps he is.

 

Specifically ask him why his are staff being given Racial Training and not being trained in the laws of trespass?

I'll take political correctness signaling for $500, Alex.

3 minutes ago, faraday said:

Why should Starbucks apologize for the 2 men being arrested?

 

The Police made the decision to arrest them.

 

Because a  Starbucks employee called the police. 

 

That Starbucks dropped charges and have set about a large scale retraining program for their staff suggests they've recognised they are at fault.

34 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The CEO of this 'Private Business' obviously believes his staff acted inappropriately. 

 

What does that suggest to you?

 

Not a valid conclusion.  What he says in public and what he really believes may be completely different. 

 

He may just be pandering to a demographic whose most visible spokespeople are very quick to pull out the victim card when it suits their agenda.   

 

38 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I suspect the training session will address racial tolerance and why racial intolerance has no place in the Starbuck's business, premisses or management.

 

But you are free to imagine other subjects being instructed if getting upset by what you yourself imagine is your thing. 

Were you there?  What do you think happened that day?  You seem to be very knowledgeable about this with a few comments. Do you think this closing of 8000 stores for the  afternoon is enough!?  Should non customers be able to stay in all  places of business since this could start a let’s call it a “trend”. 

Edited April 18, 20188 yr by alex8912

3 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

Were you there?  What do you think happened that day?  You seem to be very knowledgeable about this with a few comments. Do you think this closing of 8000 stores for the  afternoon is enough!?  Should non customers be able to stay in all  places of business since this could start a let’s call it a “trend”. 

Calm down Alex.

 

I can sense your outrage, but please take it up with the CEO of Starbucks. 

 

He's obviously looked into this and decided his staff will receive training in Racial Tolerance.

 

Do I think that is enough? It's not for me to say, I don't manage Starbucks.

Should non customers be allowed to stay in places.......? Surely that's a matter for the business owner. - Again see Starbucks' CEO response. 

15 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Not a valid conclusion.  What he says in public and what he really believes may be completely different. 

 

He may just be pandering to a demographic whose most visible spokespeople are very quick to pull out the victim card when it suits their agenda.   

 

This discussion already has examples of people imagining scenarios that they can feel outraged over. 

 

Now you come along imagining alternative thoughts of the Starbucks CEO and you laughably start your imaginings with 'Not a valid conclusion'.

 

Go ahead impulse. Dream up a conclusion then dream up a string of thoughts and motives for the CEO of Starbucks to fit the conclusion you already dreamed up.

2 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

This discussion already has examples of people imagining scenarios that they can feel outraged over. 

 

Now you come along imagining alternative thoughts of the Starbucks CEO and you laughably start your imaginings with 'Not a valid conclusion'.

 

Go ahead impulse. Dream up a conclusion then dream up a string of thoughts and motives for the CEO of Starbucks to fit the conclusion you already dreamed up.

 

So, there's never been a corporate CEO that's made public statements he didn't actually believe, to improve the bottom line and his bonus?

 

 

Forget tax evasion racial profiling and over pricing  has anyone ever detected coffee in their cup of milk.

17 minutes ago, sammieuk1 said:

Forget tax evasion racial profiling and over pricing  has anyone ever detected coffee in their cup of milk.

Yeah, it's no secret, they're mostly selling sugar and milk at huge markups, but people seem to like it. When I order a cup of just black coffee I often feel like a freak there. 

Closing 8000 stores does seem a tad over the top. Maybe the rumors are true that their CEO is considering a run for president. Let them drink lattes!

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The CEO of this 'Private Business' obviously believes his staff acted inappropriately. 

 

What does that suggest to you?

No he probably didn't, he's just pandering to the PC brigade and also ensuring company profits are not affected long term, there is nothing in the report to suggest that the phone call to the Police was racially motivated

 

The usual over reaction to a nothing incident by the PC mob

I t has been reported that there were other COCs (customers of color) in the Starbucks at time the difference being they were actual customers... the CEO is pandering.

3 minutes ago, daoyai said:

I t has been reported that there were other COCs (customers of color) in the Starbucks at time the difference being they were actual customers... the CEO is pandering.

Seems irrelevant. Nobody is saying they're calling the police on all black people. 

As far as pandering, you might not be entirely wrong. Even though Starbucks is everywhere, it's brand identity is more of a blue state state of mind and there are plenty of blue islands in red states.

Edited April 18, 20188 yr by Jingthing

Damage control of very bad publicity. The idiots control the asylum now.

 

BTW when consumers can't find a seat in Starbucks from the non-paying smelly bums and students nursing a single coffee Starbucks will again close 8000 stores, PERMANENTLY.

Edited April 18, 20188 yr by ChiangMaiLightning2143

Just now, ChiangMaiLightning2143 said:

Damage control of very bad publicity. 

 

BTW when consumers can't find a seat in Starbucks from the non-paying smelly bums and students nursing a single coffee Starbucks will again close 8000 stores, PERMANENTLY.

Wanna bet? 

I still don't really understand what the issue is here to cause all the fuss.

 

Can anyone explain what the problem is?  Why is it wrong to call the police to help if the people in the coffee shop were causing trouble and refusing to leave... without buying anything?

 

 

.... because of systemic intersectional oppression