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Starbucks is doing its utmost to prepare employees for potentially uncomfortable encounters with the rising anger of former President and CEO Howard Schultz, who plans to run for president as as independent centrist candidate.
To-Know "of the week of January 21 to 27 included instructions on how to" disseminate [sic] the situation "if someone" shared aggressive political views ", as well as on the march to follow if anyone asked about Schultz's "political intentions." "
Excerpt from the weekly update (the italics are not ours):
" … customers [i.e., employees] can ask questions to clients or hear media speculation about political intentions potential of Howard. We encourage you all to take a moment to review the discussion points below with your partners.
If a customer asks if we sell Howard's book to Starbucks:
No, books are available in bookstores and online. .
If a client tries to investigate or share aggressive political views, try to dispel the situation by sharing:
We respect everyone's opinion. Our goal is simply to create a warm and inviting space where we can all come together as a community around a good coffee.
If we were asked about Howard's political intentions:
Howard's future plans depended on him.
The weekly updates of the company are sent to the stores, where the management initials the document, "basically agreeing to deploy the instructions retained by the update," said a team leader, who contacted HuffPost after an ad on Twitter.
Another Starbucks employee stated that her store management had rephrased Schultz 's instructions – in a way that bothered her.
"We were told not to tell customers about it," said the employee, who added that workers were informed that "if we are asked about his political goals or our opinions , we will say he was an excellent CEO, but that's where our opinions end. "
The reformulated instructions irritated the employee, who saw them as part of a series of stifling opinions. The shift supervisor felt the same about the written instructions, finding it frustrating that Schultz could publicly discuss his policy when he was working at Starbucks while he was not.
"[I wish]" we would have the same opportunity to express our convictions.
The instructions appeared in a more important part of the weekly update of Schultz's new book, From the Ground Up which the former CEO had stated in a note addressed to the company: about "Our mission".
"I wrote about you and for you," he said. "My hope is that From the Ground Up will make you proud to be part of a company that goes far beyond coffee. It's about finding new ways to balance profit and social awareness.
Schultz moved away from Starbucks last summer, after more than three decades of transforming society into a world power. At the time, he said, "One of the things I want to do in my next chapter is to determine if there is a role I can play in surrendering." [19659002SchultzisnowpubliclyconsideringdenyingacandidacyfortheindependentpresidencyashevisitsthecountrytopromotehisnewbookItspotentialhasalreadyprovokedthecondemnationofDemocratswhofeartodividevotersandpavethewayforthere-electionofPresidentDonaldTrumpin2020HecklersinterruptedtheeventofSchultz'sbookinManhattantwiceMondayoneofthemshouting:"DonothelpTrumpselfishbillionaireasshole!"
Some Starbucks employees have the same feeling."
"I find Schultz to be extremely awful," said a third Starbucks employee, who asked not to be named because he relies on him. for health insurance. "I just know that he will divide Dem's vote in 2020 and that he's there for himself."
In an interview broadcast Sunday, the correspondent for "60 Minutes," Scott Pelley, asked Schultz if Starbucks stores would play a role in his own.The campaign should be launched: "Will there be a Schultz 2020 button on every green apron in the country?"
"Uh, no," replied Schultz, "There would be a complete separation between me and the company."
But this separation has not yet taken place.Starbucks noted in its day that she had sent "a copy [of Schultz’s new book] to each of our US stores this week so that the parties members will be able to share it "and that employees would benefit from a 50% discount on the book until 27 January as part of a" presale reserved for partners ".
The Third Starbucks Employee told HuffPost that another book by Schultz, Forward: How Starbucks Fought for His Life Without Losing His Soul is currently " in our computer stores. "
A Starbucks spokesperson noted that the company has been sending books to stores since 2007 – two recent examples are Brene Brown's Dare to Lead and A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah
The coffee chain has already dealt with the risk of Schultz's incursion into politics by other means.A day after the Schultz's "60 minutes" segment, Starbucks' current president, Kevin Johnson, said in an open letter to employees that, even though people will "inevitably" ask "if the company supports a possible candidacy for the presidency Howard "," we do not get involved. " national political campaigns. "
All Starbucks employees have" an opportunity to make informed decisions about the politics and the future of our communities and our country, "added Johnson. "And as Starbucks partners, we have a responsibility to always recognize and respect the diversity of viewpoints of all customers and partners on these topics."
Beyond Trump's Potential to Raise Hope for Reelection , Starbucks employees who contacted HuffPost expressed other concerns about a Schultz presidency.
"It's not because you're a businessman that you're also a remarkable leader," said a fourth Starbucks employee. "We learned this from our current president."
Jess Svabenik, a Starbucks barista in Washington State, would also not like to see Schultz be elected president, noting that he has opposed a bill aimed at raising the minimum wage to Seattle at $ 15 a year.
"I can only say that, as a person working for a working class salary, it would be foolish of me to support a candidacy for Schultz's presidency," she said. "If I supported him, I would vote against the economic security of my family."
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