The Starbucks Workers United Union claimed Thursday that employees in at least 21 states have been forbidden by their managers from decorating the store’s premises with rainbow banners for Pride Month.
Although Starbucks has traditionally supported the LGBTQ community with rainbow displays during the monthlong celebration, the union said that the company has adopted a more hostile policy this year, urged on by the examples of several other major chains, such as Target and Bud Light, having seen their bottom line drop after endorsing gay culture.
Starbucks responded to the union’s claim late Thursday stating that any such decisions had been made by district managers and did not reflect corporate policy.
Starbucks also said that it has sent a memo to all its retail managers specifying that there be no ban on pride decorations in stores, although a number of managers later said that they did not receive the message.
Starbucks Workers United, which is currently trying to unionize company workers across the United States, said Starbucks’ failure to support the LGBTQ community “made employees feel uncomfortable in their workplace” through intimidation tactics during contract negotiations.
