Woke Vs. Woke: 3K+ Starbucks Workers to Strike over LGBTQQIAAP2s+ Pride Backlash

Employees at approximately 150 Starbucks stores are reportedly gathering to strike Friday regarding an argument over LGBTQQIAAP2s+ Pride decorations.

The workers are from stores across the nation, and the Starbucks Workers United Union claims the company restricted Pride decorations in some of its stores, CNN reported Friday.

However, Starbucks has since denied the claim and said there has been no change to its policies regarding the decorations, per CNBC:

.@SBWorkersUnited says workers at more than 150 @Starbucks stores will strike over Pride decor. $SBUX @katerogers joins with more: pic.twitter.com/LVWMhwy9Lz

— Squawk Box (@SquawkCNBC) June 23, 2023

The company stated, “Workers United continues to spread false information about our benefits, policies and negotiation efforts, a tactic used to seemingly divide our partners and deflect from their failure to respond to bargaining sessions for more than 200 stores.”

The CNBC report noted local store leaders are allowed to decide how they will decorate their stores within the company’s security and safety manual guidelines.

In a social media post on Friday, Starbucks Workers United urged employees to “STRIKE WITH PRIDE!” adding that “Over 150+ stores and 3,500 workers will be on strike over the course of the next week.”

STRIKE WITH PRIDE! Seattle Roastery leads nationwide Starbucks strike over Starbucks’ hypocritical treatment of LGBTQIA+ workers. Over 150+ stores and 3,500 workers will be on strike over the course of the next week.

— Starbucks Workers United (@SBWorkersUnited) June 23, 2023

Starbucks has reiterated it had no knowledge of company-owned stores banning Pride decorations as the argument over the issue continued.

However, the union claimed, “Starbucks gives autonomy to local leaders to ‘find ways to celebrate.’ These leaders are the same ones issuing many of the Pride bans,” then pointed to a report about Pride decor being “banned” from locations in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri.

Last week, news of Starbucks banning Pride decorations in many stores exploded online.

Starbucks claims that pride decorations haven't been banned – but according to internal documents and store manager testimonies, their own responses have not been consistent. 1/4 pic.twitter.com/QEPYHpFDDq

— Starbucks Workers United (@SBWorkersUnited) June 21, 2023

The news comes as some corporate executives, including at Starbucks, are reportedly pulling back on their advocacy regarding “green and social initiatives,” according to a Breitbart News article published June 14.

In addition, many Americans are opposed to transgender ideology being pushed by Fortune 500 corporations, government officials, and establishment media, the outlet reported on June 3:

Fifty-seven percent of Americans strongly agree that “There are [only] two genders, male and female,” according to a May 23-24 survey of 1,116 adults by Rasmussen Reports.

That is a 14-point jump from 2019, when only 43 percent of respondents said they strongly think there are “only two possible gender identities, man or woman,” a poll of 1,100 people by the left-wing Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) found.

The CNN report said Starbucks has a history of “progressive” policies beginning in 1988 when the company gave full health benefits to same-sex partners.

“In 2013, it added health coverage for gender reassignment surgery and two years later let employees express themselves with a name or nickname that is ‘consistent with their gender identity or expression,’ according to the company,” the outlet stated.