by Regina Minaya

Student organizers, faculty members, and campus workers continue to rally for change as they demand accountability from Starbucks. 

While Starbucks’ presence on campus offers convenience and familiarity to the young students, it implicates us in the support of unjust labor practices. Consumers are faced with an ethical dilemma. 

Across the United States, universities have reevaluated their relationships with Starbucks, after the attention that has been brough about by their unethical business practices. From not paying suppliers a living wage to illegally firing employees nationwide for unionizing, the list of grievances workers has against the company are ever-growing. As a result, up to 25 universities have called for the termination of their contracts with the major business in addition to various protests that occurred after Starbucks’ response to its employee’s efforts to organize a union.  

Their legal challenges against the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) raise serious concerns about their commitment to workers’ rights.  

Starbucks workers and employees filed hundreds of unfair labor practice charges against the major franchise, with over 200 employees alleging that they were unfairly fired after attempting to unionize. The urgency of these issues has affected their image of much more ethical consumers.   

This is about the values of our campus community, and its power to influence change. The decision to either maintain or sever ties with the Starbucks should reflect CSI commitment to social justice and ethical conduct. Should Starbucks remain on our campus, or should we join with other universities and give them an “F”?