Safety concerns cited in some stores are linked to issues such as drug use and the growing mental health crisis. The company recently announced a new initiative to focus on employee safety, including plans to close restrooms, modify store layouts and improve security systems. And in some cases, company officials said, that means permanently closing stores where “safety … is no longer possible.” The Los Angeles area store locations that will be closing are: In addition to the six in Los Angeles, the coffee giant is closing six stores in its hometown of Seattle, two in Portland, Oregon, and one each in Philadelphia and Washington. Starbucks said employees at those stores will have the opportunity to transfer to other stores. The downtown location is not far from the Los Angeles Police Department headquarters. The area has seen a sharp increase in homeless encampments in recent years. “I recognize that the downtown area, the urban center, has had its challenges, particularly during this pandemic, with areas of people experiencing homelessness and encampments,” LAPD Chief Michel Moore said. And the perception of security and the reality of individual incidents.” “I’m disappointed to see Starbucks or for that matter any commercial commitment leaving or moving out of town. And I hope they change that.” Starbucks has more than 34,000 stores in more than 80 countries around the world. Company officials say the closings are part of a broader effort to address staff concerns and ensure stores are safe and welcoming. In a letter to employees, Starbucks senior vice presidents of operations Debbie Stroud and Denise Nelson said the company’s stores are not immune to problems like rising drug use and a growing mental health crisis. “You also see firsthand the challenges facing our communities – personal safety, racism, lack of access to health care, a growing mental health crisis, increasing drug use and more,” they wrote. “With stores in thousands of communities across the country, we know these challenges can, from time to time, show up in our stores as well. We read every incident report you submit—there are a lot of them. “We want you to know that creating a safe, welcoming and kind third place is our top priority. Because simply put, we can’t serve as partners if we don’t first feel safe at work. The question on our minds is: How do we continue to show up for our communities while protecting our partners?” But the company also faced criticism from some workers who said they were not consulted or given no choice but to close. “We believe it is not fair that we were not allowed to participate in this decision regarding our working conditions, nor for Starbucks to claim that they could not provide a safe experience in our workplace,” said Mari Cosgrove, employee at one of the Seattle stores that are closing. The shutdown took on increased significance due to an ongoing unionization effort at Starbucks stores in the US. More than 189 Starbucks stores in the U.S. have voted to unionize since late last year, according to the National Labor Relations Board. Starbucks opposes unionization effort. Two of the Seattle stores that are closing have voted to unionize, while one of the Portland stores has filed for a union vote. Last month, Starbucks also closed a union store in Ithaca, New York, due to operational problems, including an overflowing grease trap. Starbucks Workers United, the labor group organizing the effort, said it plans to file unfair labor practice charges against Starbucks on behalf of the two unionized stores closing in Seattle. But Starbucks insisted the closings were not related to the unionization effort. “Opening and closing stores is part of our business operations,” a company spokesman said. “This is really based on safe and welcoming stores.” US labor laws do not prevent Starbucks from closing stores for business reasons. But he cannot close a shop – whether it is unionized or not – in retaliation to the labor organizers. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright © 2022 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.
