Lilly Crenshaw is fired up.
The 20-something Starbucks barista, who works at a location on Dell Range Boulevard in Cheyenne, thinks a new dress code for the corporate giant is “insane” and equates it to being stripped of her identify.
On Monday, the company announced it was “evolving” its dress code to “simplified color options,” which means black shirt and khaki, black or blue denim bottoms.
Gone is the freedom to wear other colors underneath the standard-issue green apron. Starbucks says the new streamlined look allows the apron to “shine and create a sense of familiarity” no matter the location.
Freedom Gone
Crenshaw, who appeared to be complying with the corporate rules, was eager to voice her displeasure, although was sure to talk to Cowboy State Daily while she was clocked-out during her lunch break.
“We’re not allowed to express ourselves,” Crenshaw said. “Starbucks is not valuing us individually. They’re only valuing the people who come in for the drinks.”
She said she understands the customer experience is important, but employees need to be valued as well and by taking away the freedom to wear what they wanted, the company is going too far in one direction.
'They Don't Care'
For 67-year-old Palmira Torres, a barista who works at a Starbucks location in downtown Cheyenne — the first Starbucks in Wyoming to unionize — it’s more proof that corporate doesn’t care about its employees.
For Torres, it’s not so much about the dress code, it’s money and the failure to finalize a contract agreement, something the company and the union have been working on for the past year, without success.
“The real issue is the contract that they’re not wanting to sign,” Torres said. “Everybody wants a little cushion in life and a little security just like you got your $57,000 per hour [paycheck], Mr. CEO.”
Torres was referring to the compensation that chief executive Brian Niccol reportedly receives.
She, and fellow downtown worker Cheyenne Munsell, say they feel like they’ve been duped.
“When I got hired on three years ago, they were big about individuality and being able to express it,” Munsell said. “They’re taking that away from us.”
She said the real issues are money, understaffing, and inexperienced management.
“And what do they focus on? A dress code,” she said, rolling her eyes.
Licensed Stores
Then there are the Starbucks-licensed stores. Those are the locations within supermarkets or big box stores.
They generally have to follow the same rules as the standalone locations.
The baristas there are familiar with the dress code changes, although some of them weren’t necessarily following the requirements.
One had a double-facial piercing, which is not allowed — although that’s not a change in the updated dress code.
They were both wearing light-colored shoes, another no-no.
But neither seemed that concerned about it.
“It they were strictly enforcing the dress code, I would be upset about it,” one barista said, mentioning if she were forced to go out and buy black shoes for the job, she would have an issue.
As for the double-piercing, the barista said good luck in getting her to comply.
“I don’t know how to take them out,” she said. “They’re never coming out of my face.”
Piercing was also a point of contention for Crenshaw, who said trying to find someone in her generation who only has one piercing is difficult.
"We like to express ourselves that way," she said.
Minimal Impact
So far more than 1,000 baristas across the country have gone on strike, according to the union that represents many of the workers.
Starbucks Workers United has filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board for failing to bargain over the new dress code.
In response, Starbucks says the strike has had a minimal impact on its operation.
Starbucks spokesman Phil Gee told Cowboy State Daily that 99% of Starbucks stores are open.
Gee said Workers United represents less than five percent of its workforce and, by its own measure, less than one percent are participating in the strike.
"While the union is focused on a simplified dress code, we’re focused on providing the best job in retail with a wage and benefits package that averages more than $30 per hour for hourly partners," Gee said.
“It would be more productive if the union would put the same effort into coming back to the table that they’re putting into protesting wearing black shirts to work," he said.
Strike Or Not To Strike
Of the 23 Starbucks locations in Wyoming, three are unionized — all in Cheyenne.
Whether they will strike or not, the baristas Cowboy State Daily spoke with said they didn’t know, but didn’t seem opposed to the idea.
“You gotta stick up for what you believe in,” Torres said. “We just want to be heard. We just want to be treated like decent hardworking people.”
Crenshaw said she and other employees have had discussions with the union representative in Denver but have come to no conclusions.
Jimmy Orr can be reached at jimmy@cowboystatedaily.com.
