The story on the ad’s exclusion was originally published by the Seattle Gay News, which obtained comments from Seattle Pride and Encore Media — the ad agency that manages advertisements for Seattle Pride. Seattle Pride’s leaders denied that they deliberately blocked the ad, claiming that it was actually just an “unfortunate series of miscommunications” and that “there was simply no space left for a full page ad.”
Comments from Encore Media to the Service Employees Union (SEIU, which SBWU is affiliated with) however, reveal the real reason the ad was blocked. “My concern is that Starbucks is one of [Seattle Pride’s] sponsors,” said a representative from Encore. “I do not want to jeopardize our relationship in any way, so I flagged the ad for their approval.” (sgn.org)
Starbucks has platinum sponsor status with Seattle Pride, which requires donating at least $150,000. It’s clear that Seattle Pride has been bought off by Starbucks and is throwing working-class LGBTQ+ people under the bus in favor of a multinational coffee behemoth with a reputation for brutal mistreatment of its workers.
Now all Starbucks are selling out to the far-right mob. From SBWU’s Twitter:
BREAKING: In the middle of Pride Month, Starbucks BANS Pride decorations in stores across the United States. For the last two weeks, Starbucks workers have taken to social media to report that the company is no longer allowing Pride decorations in-store. This seems to be the first year the publicly “pro-LGBTQ+” company has taken this kind of stance. Taking a cue from Target, who bowed to anti-LGBTQ+ pressure and removed pride merchandise, corporate and district management are taking down the pride decorations that have become an annual tradition in stores. In union stores, where Starbucks claims they are unable to make “unilateral changes” without bargaining, the company took down Pride decorations and flags anyway - ignoring their own anti-union talking point.
Starbucks is powered by many queer workers, but management has failed to materially support the LGBTQ+ community. Last October, some workers have reported that their transgender benefit plan changed, causing them to pay out of pocket fees and lose access to certain providers. If Starbucks was a true ally, they would stand up for us, especially during a time when LGBTQ+ people are under attack. A company that cares wouldn’t turn their back on the LGBTQ+ community to protect their already astronomically high profits. True allyship with the LGBTQ+ community is negotiating a union contract that legally locks-in our benefits, our freedom of expression, and ways to hold management accountable.
corporate pride:
Starbucks has platinum sponsor status with Seattle Pride, which requires donating at least $150,000.
Bourgeois democracy 101. Literally just the basic building block of every political decision in a bourgeois democracy
Not at all surprised. No one remembers Pride was a riot anymore
