Starbucks planning ‘clearer’ store guidelines after clash over Pride displays

Starbucks is planning to roll out “clearer” guidelines for stores on its decoration policies amid a clash with the company’s union over Pride-themed displays this month. 

Sara Trilling, the executive vice president and president of Starbucks North America, emphasized in a memo to all U.S. partners on Monday that it has not made any changes to its policies on “our inclusive store environments, our company culture, and the benefits we offer our partners.” 

“To further underscore this, we intend to issue clearer centralized guidelines, and leveraging resources like the Period Planning Kit (PPK) and Siren’s Eye, for in-store visual displays and decorations that will continue to represent inclusivity and our brand,” Trilling said. 

The announcement comes as 3,500 workers from more than 150 stores plan to strike this week over the union’s allegations that Starbucks has banned Pride decorations in its stores. The coffee retail giant has denied that it has banned these displays and accused the union of spreading misinformation. 

Trilling and Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan said in a post on Friday — after the Starbucks Workers United announced plans to strike — that the company raised the Progress Pride flag over its Starbucks Support Center as it has done consistently to celebrate other heritage months. 

“We do this each year on behalf of partners around the world, to affirm the diversity of our LGBTQIA2+ community and as a call for a more inclusive society – a call we have made since our founding,” they said. “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!” 

Trilling said on Monday that Starbucks will continue to provide stores with “flexibility” that they need to allow stores to “reflect the communities they serve.” 

The union has said it has received reports from stores across the U.S. that workers have not been allowed to decorate stores for Pride Month or have had their decorations taken down. 

Starbucks filed two unfair labor practice charges against the union with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on Monday, arguing that the union is conducting an “unlawful smear campaign” and making “maliciously and recklessly false statements.” 

The charges allege the union has made false statements about the company’s policy on decorations and the benefits that Starbucks offers for gender-affirming care. The retailer said the union has “knowingly and falsely” claimed that the company eliminated or changed its benefits coverage for LGBTQ individuals. 

Starbucks Workers United told The Hill in a statement that every charge that Starbucks has filed with the NLRB has been dismissed, and the union is “confident” that the other charges will be dismissed too.

“Watch what Starbucks does, not what it says,” the union said.

The organization said the strike will continue as Starbucks is not negotiating with the union as required by law.

“If Starbucks truly wants to be an ally to the LGBTQIA+ community, they will actually listen to their queer workers by coming to the bargaining table to negotiate in good faith,” it said.

Alisha Humphrey, a worker leader from Oklahoma City, said a “clear policy change” occurred when workers at her store were told that Pride decorations were not permitted.

She said the strike is about more than the Pride decorations, that Starbucks should be negotiating with the union but has refused.

“This is about Starbucks threatening benefits, intimidating us, and making us feel unwelcome in our own workplace. Our union isn’t damaging Starbucks’ legacy — Starbucks is doing that all by themselves,” Humphrey said.