ANOTHER REASON TO HATE STARBUCKS
You don’t really need a lot of reason to hate Starbucks. They’re a big nasty mass-produced American chain trying very hard at taking over the world by railroading their way through individualism so that you can enjoy the very same drink wherever you are on the planet because heaven forbid you should want to try something new. But in case you were short on reasons to choose somewhere else to buy a coffee here’s a good one for you.
A Portland Starbucks manager, Fabian Mills (right), was taken to one side by his new district manager, Frances Ericson, and told it was inappropriate for him to cycle to work, and it would be preferred for him to use a car.
“She pulled me aside and said she would prefer that I drove to the meeting. She asked me if I even had a car and then said it was inappropriate to ride my bike. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing but she actually said she would prefer if I drove a car and that it was unprofessional to ride a bike to work.” Said Mills.
Four days later Mills was informed he would be transferred to another store that would add 16 miles to his daily commute. After expressing his disappointment with the transfer, Ericson allegedly said, “You should just get over riding your bike.”
Angered by this response Mills filed a formal complaint with the human resources and business ethics departments of Starbucks, but he felt the issue was never taken very seriously and as a result decided to resign.
The story was first reported on a local portland website, BikePortland.org earlier this month. However since the story broke it has, as one might expect, spread across the internet in a manner that has not cast a favorable light on the coffee giant who claim to have long history of supporting alternative transportation commute options for its employees.
Initially Starbucks refused to comment on the story citing privacy concerns. However as the story gained momentum the company had a change of heart about the privacy issue and Starbucks’ Director of Corporate Communications, Valerie O’Neil, called Jonathon Maus of BikePortland.org to voice concern over what Starbucks thought was an unfair internet buzz surrounding the story.
The phone call was followed by an official statement from the coffee giant in which they asserted “The concerns raised by the district manager were regarding Mr. Mills arriving late to a meeting and being disheveled in appearance, not about his riding a bicycle to work.” However no reference to Mills transfer was made and Mills himself now works for Bank or America.
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BikePortland.org
Cycling is not a crime
Black Gold : Movie
McCorporation Nation
Wrote the following comment on Oct 30, 2006 at 1:32 am
I really don’t care how the employees or baristas get there just as long as they are there and ready to pour my coffee when I arrive.
Cheers
Wrote the following comment on Oct 30, 2006 at 2:40 am
i still think they have some of the best coffee.
Wrote the following comment on Oct 30, 2006 at 3:53 am
i worked for starbucks for nearly two years and have plenty opinions about the company as a whole…
first of all, in any company that has expanded as rapidly as starbucks (or large corporation in general) there are going to be crappy people in managerial positions. and these people tend to slip through the cracks. if the numbers are great, then the company thinks you’re great. end of story.
secondly, the company used to emphasize promoting from within- but now preferes outside hires. this means that someone that is used to a more “professional” environment takes that with them to their job at starbucks. this turns the once hippy-dippy, anti-establishment company into THE MAN.
i know this is like this anywhere you go, but when i read stories about this i just think about the (many)employees working for starbucks that are completely ignorent of its vision. having transfered to a few different stores in the state, i can say that what kind of company you think starbucks is varies from store to store.
but do i support the world-wide expansion of starbucks? no way! i can’t believe how homogenized the world is becoming… pretty soon there will be no incentive to visit anywhere new because everything will look and feel and seem the same.