1,000 signatures reached
To: Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol
Tell Starbucks: Protect the health and safety of baristas!
Starbucks recently introduced a new silica-based blending powder for its Refresher drinks and hundreds of baristas are reporting that it's making them sick.
The blending mix is marked as "food safe" but becomes airborne when baristas empty the packet into a container while making drinks for customers. Pouring the mixture causes a big cloud of powder to form — leaving baristas with headaches, sore throats, coughing fits, and hives.
Starbucks in-store AI system told baristas to avoid breathing in the mixture, despite no warnings on the mix packets, no safety training, and no real health information.
Why is this important?
Starbucks continues to ignore their workers. The company issued a brief press statement on the safety of the blending powder, which wholly dodged the issues that union baristas have raised about their health.
Starbucks also sent an update to stores avoiding mention of the health complaints and telling baristas simply to pour the mixture slower. Meanwhile Starbucks executives demand that workers make drinks in four minutes or less, often in understaffed stores. This is hardly a solution. Even more so because Starbucks won't directly address the safety concerns with inhaling the powder.
Starbucks is required by law to bargain with unionized baristas about significant changes in working conditions. Starbucks Workers United (SBWU) has demanded critical safety information on the powder, including the OSHA required safety data sheet, as they continue to bargain with Starbucks for better wages, benefits and working conditions in a first ever Starbucks union contract.
Sign this petition and call on Starbucks to bargain with baristas and protect their workers!
