A Starbucks Barista Pointed Out A Glaring Issue With Shift Work

If you've ever worked a job in the service industry, you no doubt know the frustration that comes with scheduling mix-ups. While being scheduled outside of your regular shifts can no doubt be irritating, working a reduced number of hours can have severe consequences for your ability to pay for life's necessities. Recently, TikToker @Meghin brought this issue to light when they posted a now-viral video revealing the shockingly few amount of hours their Starbucks location had scheduled them for. In the caption, Meghin asked viewers how they were supposed to pay rent after only being scheduled for four hours, a struggle that many viewers sympathized with. 

Fellow TikToker @BaarelyAlive commented that the location's actions amounted to 'quiet firing', implying that management may be trying to reduce staff without having a legal reason to do so. Another viewer agreed, commenting, "That's their way of telling you they don't want you as an employee anymore. They don't have an actual reason to fire you, so they dock hours until you leave." 

Whether or not the location's management truly was using unethical methods to reduce staffing numbers, many of Meghin's viewers revealed that similar scheduling situations had made it hard for them to survive, with one viewer commenting about the 12 hours they receive per week — over half their paycheck goes towards gas payments. TikToker @Wy Wy commented, "I walked out of my shift yesterday. This job has officially stopped being worth my time," highlighting the frustration felt by many shift workers. 

Meghin's recent video is far from the first time they have called out Starbucks for how it treats employees. The user's entire account is dedicated to exposing the unfair treatment of workers and helping Starbucks employees set up unions in their locations. In one video, Meghin revealed that they had to apply for food stamps in 2022 while working for Starbucks. For 2022, Starbucks reported $32.25 billion in revenue and $3.28 billion in net profit. 

While Meghin's videos on the chain's labor practices may be shocking, the user isn't the only one who feels that Starbucks is in the wrong. Federal judge Michael Rosas recently ruled on behalf of several terminated Starbucks employees in response to a lawsuit filed by Starbucks unionization body, Starbucks Workers United (via CBS News). 

As a result of the ruling, the brand is now required to post a notice of its proven labor violations, along with a list of employee rights in all of its U.S. locations. Rosas also ordered Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz to participate in a reading of official employee rights, which has been ordered to be recorded and distributed to all employees working in a U.S. store. In regard to the ongoing controversy, Meghin's recent videos have been paramount in highlighting employee rights.