Chicago Barista Claims Starbucks Workers Face Verbal Abuse Under New CEO Policies

The Struggles of Starbucks Baristas Under New Leadership

A barista from Chicago has recently shared his concerns about the deteriorating working conditions at Starbucks, attributing the challenges to new company policies and a lack of sufficient staffing. Diego Franco, a barista with five years of experience at the Oakton & Lee Street Starbucks, is also a bargaining delegate with Starbucks Workers United. He expressed his frustrations to FOX Business, stating that the company’s rules under new CEO Brian Niccol have led to increased dissatisfaction among employees.

Franco mentioned that verbal abuse is common in the workplace, with managers often pointing out mistakes made by staff. “We are abused verbally, and the manager will then point out the things that we are doing wrong,” he said. He added that the pressure to write notes on cups after being yelled at by customers for long waits has become a regular occurrence. “I’m pretty sure that’s happened hundreds of times since we’ve been forced to write on cups after being yelled at by a customer for the long wait.”

Franco believes that Starbucks should focus on addressing the concerns of its workers rather than implementing policies that make their jobs more difficult. “The amount of power and money Starbucks has behind themselves, I would think they could figure it all out. And they choose not to listen to all the baristas that are already a part of the union,” he concluded.

Changes in Leadership and Worker Concerns

When Niccol took over as CEO a year ago, he pledged to improve relations with employees. However, many workers are still pushing for a nationwide union campaign, with little progress on a first union contract. In September, Niccol stated that he "deeply respects the right of partners to choose to be represented by a union." Despite this, Starbucks Workers United claims the company has stalled negotiations, while baristas argue that Niccol’s "Back to Starbucks" strategy has made daily operations more challenging.

Under Niccol’s leadership, Starbucks has introduced various initiatives aimed at improving the customer experience. One such change includes requiring baristas to write notes on cups. Franco explained that if he fails to write something on every single cup, he risks getting in trouble. “If I’m not writing something on every single cup I grab, then I’m gonna get in trouble. I’m going to run the risk of getting fired.”

Since December 2021, over 12,000 Starbucks workers across nearly 650 stores have unionized. However, progress on a first contract has stalled despite multiple bargaining sessions between April and December 2024.

Financial Priorities and Employee Perspectives

While Starbucks reports record performance and a new sales high, workers argue that the company’s financial priorities are misaligned. The company spent $81 million on a leadership convention in Las Vegas and continues to allocate billions toward shareholder payouts. Additionally, Niccol received a $97.8 million compensation package in 2024.

Franco highlighted the impact of understaffing on the daily work environment. “The best times I’ve had at work was when we had upwards of nine or 10 people there. Now we have four, five, I think on most days,” he said. This shortage of staff leads to longer wait times for customers, which can result in frustration and even angry outbursts from patrons.

Calls for a Fair Contract

Starbucks Workers United argues that finalizing a first contract would address many of the issues workers face. Franco emphasized that union baristas are ready to return to the bargaining table and do whatever it takes to finalize a fair contract. “Union baristas are ready to return to the bargaining table and do whatever it takes to finalize a fair contract,” he said.

FOX Business has reached out to Starbucks for comment on these ongoing concerns. As the debate over working conditions and unionization continues, the voices of employees like Franco remain central to the discussion about the future of Starbucks.