Amidst the military conflict between Israel and Palestine in the Middle East, it was recently brought to attention that Starbucks had sued their union, Starbucks Workers United, for showing their support for Palestine. Starbucks’ union was sent a cease and desist letter from the company’s executive vice president and chief partner officer, Sara Kelly on October 18th.
Although the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been ongoing ever since 1948, it has continued to intensify ever since. Social media has played a large role in amplifying voices in support of Israel and Palestine, including Instagram posts from high-profile celebrities. Individuals have promoted the large-scale boycott of Starbucks and McDonald’s on social media platforms, in response to the actions of these large companies. During Starbucks’ most popular and successful sales event, Red Cup Day this year, workers and student groups protested the corporation’s support for Israel, low pay, and unethical business practices. On Red Cup Day, Starbucks will give customers a complimentary reusable red cup if they order a seasonal drink. However, this year, Starbucks received substantially less turnout for its annual event.
Since Red Cup Day on November 16th, Starbucks’ shares have dropped by nearly 9%, equivalent to a loss of almost $11 billion in market value. As a result of these significant losses, Starbucks locations have had to close or lay off many employees.
Although nobody can predict what the future will look like, it can be anticipated that positive and negative changes will occur in the upcoming years.
