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Starbucks just can't stay out the news these days. The chain coffee shop has been told its stock is dropping, its ubiquitous presence is annoying, and its coffee sucks.Now it's been informed that it's been ripping off its barista's as well. A judge in San Diego, CA ruled that the company had improperly distributed tip jar funds to supervisors and would need to reimburse rank and file baristas, in its California stores, tips they didn't get...with interest. The judgment could cost Starbuck's more than $100 million. That's a lot of tip jar change.
Predictably, the company is crying foul, and says it will "vigorously appeal." According to a press released cited by the Los Angeles Times: "Our shift supervisors deserve their fair share of the tips that they receive from the tip jars in our California stores...The decision today in our view represents an extreme example of an abuse of the class-action procedures in California courts."
The company also noted that the case was filed in 2004 by a single barista, and that the interests of shift supervisors (who also make coffee and work with the public), were not represented in the litigation.
Much as I dislike Starbucks, this is one case where I have to express my disdain for class-action lawyers even more. From my completely unscientific, anecdotal experience as a customer, I can't see any difference in the duties of baristas and their managers. Both work the machine during slams, both take orders, both dish up the Rice Krispy treats. Inasmuch as any clerk who's not a waiter deserves a tip, everyone behind the counter should share the wealth.
What say ye, Starbucks watchers?
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3-21-2008 @8:59PM sean said... people still tip???
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3-21-2008 @7:43PM joe said... I worked a starbucks as a barista, then a shift supervisor, and this made me mad. I worked as hard if not harder than everyone else on my shifts, even though I was "management." If shift supervisors just sat around telling people what to do like the store managers do, I can see why they shouldn't be allowed to get tips. I earned the tips I got, just like the baristas who worked under me. Maybe california is different and the SS just sit around on the computer looking at "numbers" (that's what my manager always said, even though they were in the schedule and part of the labor for the busy times of the day), but where I worked the SS were down in the trenches working alongside the baristas. Maybe if they did pay SS more then they shouldn't get tips, but the tips help encourage them to make an effort when interacting with the customers. It's crap like this why starbucks' stock is in the crapper and they're having to shutdown stores.
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3-21-2008 @7:44PM Judith Cameron said... My first thought was that managers typically are paid a salary, while those other workers at the counter work hourly, and therefore should be the sole recipients of the tips which supplement their lower wage.
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3-26-2008 @2:58PM bethamiller16117 said... barrista ia a nice way to label someone who make minimum wage and lives paycheck to paycheck, can't pay all their bills, etc
that would be me
i've been offered the job of shift manager where i work and guess what? it's not worth it. you do all your regular work, are responsible for everyone's actions working with you, and take heat from management when someone else screws up or when management takes heat from higher up.
And for these privileges you generally only make 10-25 cents more if your lucky.
shift managers deserves a tip too
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3-21-2008 @10:08PM Shawn Harstad said... You don't like it? Take it up with the State of California. It's the law in California. Starbucks was breaking the law!
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3-21-2008 @10:09PM Shawn Harstad said... You don't like it? Take it up with the State of California. It's the law in California. Starbucks was breaking the law!
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3-21-2008 @11:34PM Jme said... I was also a barista and then shift supervisor at Sbucks- and the tipping thing is crazy. Currently I'm a supervisor at a different coffee place, and I don't get tips either- even though I work bar, register, etc. like everyone else. If the baristas were paid like waiters, and their pay depended on tips, then I would understand- but they are paid hourly at a reasonable rate for their position.
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3-21-2008 @11:59PM Doctor Electro said... I cry foul ... on the part of the SS. No matter where you go, Starbucks shift supervisors work all the time and deserve their share of the tips. They are still underpaid for the work they do. Class-action lawyers have a useful role in the justice system but this ain't it!
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3-22-2008 @12:24AM Frank said... It is not about how hard they worked. It is about how much they are paid and how. Typically people who accept tips as part of their pay are paid less than supervisors (often they are paid below minimun wage) with tips making up the difference. I am not sure what Starbucks paid their employees but I am sure it was not the same pay for Supervisors and Baristas.
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3-22-2008 @2:33AM CupcakeMagee said... Uh... I always tip. I had no idea that there were people out there tacky enough to not tip...
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3-22-2008 @10:40AM plumcider said... Starbucks supervisors are underpaid, just like every other low-level pseudo-manager in food service. In some cases, they are promoted from barrista with a pittance raise (only a fool thinks an extra 25 cents an hour makes someone well off) and them slammed with loads of responsibility, plus they have to deal with people who think that supervisor=big bucks. Quite frankly, the courts need to keep their nose out, at least until they have more to go on than a complaint from one greedy, foolish employee.
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3-24-2008 @2:22PM jessica said... i worked as a barista and shift supervisor at starbucks in california. shift supervisors do not have the same responsibilities as managers or assistant managers who do not work with the public as frequently. baristas and shift supervisors have very similar pay and spend equal amounts of time working with customers. starbucks has good pay for a food service job and offers health benefits and company stock for everyone, including baristas. baristas are not relying on these tips because they are making less than minimum wage. tips should go to the employees who have earned it, those who are responsible for customer service. since baristas and shift supervisors are equally responsible than tips should go to those employees equally.
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3-28-2008 @1:00PM Walter said... Why deny the shift supervisors their fair share of tips if they work just as hard for them and are paid minimally more than barristas. I like myflavia coffee better than Starbucks anyway.
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