Black employees at multiple Starbucks locations in airports are claiming they are being racially discriminated against and paid less than their white co-workers, according to The Hill.
A report from Unite Here, a labor union for employees with HMSHost, a partnering company that often operates coffee shops under the Starbucks name in airports and rest stops across the nation, has documented the discriminatory claims of workers.
In the survey of about 300 employees, the median pay for Black baristas is $1.85 less than the wages of their white counterparts.
Employee Zeyad ElMashak, who works at the Orlando airport location, said he's heard non-minority management use the word n****r in conversation.
"Everyone just brushes it off because they're worried about repercussions and other managers and supervisors take it lightly," he said.
Despite the report, HMSHost denies the claims and said they are committed to paying their staff equally.
“As Unite Here is aware, all wage rates have been negotiated and agreed upon by the union during its collective bargaining agreements with HMSHost and these rates are not based on race. So, Unite Here’s allegations that racial pay disparities exist with HMSHost is completely untrue,” said the company’s spokesperson.
The report by Unite Here also details distinct differences between sole-owned Starbucks locations and HMSHost stores. According to The Hill, the coffee conglomerate's nondiscriminatory policy offers 100% racial pay equity and enforces LGBTQ-inclusive practices — a standard workers claim is not followed by HMSHost.
"It’s shocking to me that they would allow their license to be leased out and that this kind of discrimination is happening where they leased out that license, where they leased out the brand," said Christopher J. Cuevas, executive director of QLatinx.
Additionally in the report, some transgender employees said they are constantly being misgendered.
Jay, an employee at the Starbucks at the Orlando airport, said after choosing his name following his transition he was still misgendered by managers despite informing them of his decision. He also says he was disciplined more harshly than other co-workers.
“It’s getting to a point where I just want to cry and I can’t even breathe. I just want everything to be fair and to be treated equal as a human being because everyone else I’m sure is a human being,” he said.
Other transgender employees said they have asked to use their chosen name for work schedules but were asked for legal proof of a name change. However, another barista said managers often use nicknames for cisgender employees that don't match their legal name.
HMSHost told The Hill they would not comment on the allegations for privacy reasons.
“HMSHost does not discriminate against our associates with respect to pay or any other term or condition of employment,” said a company spokesperson. “Unite Here continues to spread false information about HMSHost with the sole objective of exerting pressure and gaining leverage.”
