Business
Starbucks Workers at Buffalo Store Will Become the First in the Company’s History to Unionize
Published
1 year agoon
By
Cory Ray
Source: Lindsay Dedario/Reuters
One other store in the area struck down the idea, and the results of a third store’s vote are currently inconclusive.
Workers Unionize
Starbucks workers at a store in Buffalo, New York, voted to organize Thursday and are now set to become the first employees of the company to be represented by a labor union in its 50-year history.
That store, known as the Elmwood Avenue location, signaled its support by a vote of 19-8 after first pushing for a union in August. If no objections are filed in the coming days, its results could be certified as soon as Dec. 16.
Among their first actions, the workers indicated that they will pursue negotiations with Starbucks for higher wages.
Two other Buffalo-area stores also held votes to unionize the same day. One struck down the attempt 12-8, but the National Labor Relations Board said it may ultimately challenge that result because it believes some votes potentially went uncounted.
Results from the third store are inconclusive as of Friday morning since seven votes have been challenged by both pro-unionists and Starbucks, which has fought to dissuade employees from organizing.
What Workers and Starbucks Are Saying
“We’ve done it, despite everything the company has thrown at us,” said Michelle Eisen, an employee at the Elmwood Avenue location, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Eisen, who has worked at the store for 11 years and helped organize the unionization effort, is also quoted by the Associated Press as saying, “It has been an unbelievably long road to get to this point. As of today, we have done it, in spite of everything the company has thrown at us.”
Separately, Starbucks spokesperson Reggie Borges attempted to paint a much more subdued picture of Thursday’s results, emphasizing the one store that voted against unionizing.
“Every partner matters. It’s how we built the company and how we will continue to run the company,” Borges said in a statement to media outlets. “We will continue to focus on the best Starbucks experience we can deliver for every partner and our customers.”
In the lead-up to the election, Starbucks argued that it operates most effectively when its corporate arm is in direct communication with employees.
What’s Next?
Given that one only of its stores is set to become represented by a union, Starbucks’ overall operations will largely remain the same; however, the Elmwood Avenue location’s vote could pave the way for unionization pushes in separate states.
For example, petitions for votes are already pending at four other Starbucks locations, three in Buffalo and one in Mesa, Arizona.
Analysts also believe the effects of Thursday’s voting could extend beyond Starbucks to other fast food locations.
Separately, Starbucks recently indicated it would boost wages to address low employee recruitment and retention.
See what others are saying: (Associated Press) (The Wall Street Journal) (CNN)
Business
Amazon to Pay Over $30 Million for Alexa and Ring Privacy Violations
Published
2 days agoon
June 1, 2023By
Star Pralle
Privacy violation charges stack up against the tech giant as the FTC partners up with the DOJ.
Amazon Pays Up
Amazon agreed to a $30 million settlement for each of these complaints over complaints alleging that its Alexa and Ring products violated customer privacy.
The Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department accused Amazon of retaining children’s geolocation data as well as the recordings of their conversations with Alexa. Additionally, the FTC brought another complaint against Amazon’s Ring for violating their customers’ privacy and failing to complement basic security measures.
In addition to the accusations of retaining data, the FTC also charges Amazon with deceiving their customers, saying requests from parents to delete their children’s recordings and other data went ignored despite repeated assurances that parents can delete the data at any time.
Amazon says this data was retained to train their Alexa algorithms to better understand children. But their reasoning does not change law. Their actions are still in violation of the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, known as COPPA.
“Amazon’s history of misleading parents, keeping children’s recordings indefinitely, and flouting parents’ deletion requests violated COPPA and sacrificed privacy for profits,” said Samuel Levine, the director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection in the press release regarding the complaint. “COPPA does not allow companies to keep children’s data forever for any reason, and certainly not to train their algorithms.”
The Settlement’s Details
The proposed settlement that Amazon agreed to on Wednesday includes a $25 million civil penalty as well as requirements to both delete the data in question and never use voice recordings of adults or children in the development or creation of a product again.
However approval on this settlement is still needed from the federal courts.
Despite agreeing to the settlement, Amazon denies violating COPPA, saying they designed Amazon Kids for parents to have full control and to comply with the law.
In their complaint against Ring, the FTC accused the company of violating their customers’ privacy by allowing countless employees and hundreds of contractors access to the videos from Ring cameras.
Leading to situations like one in 2017, when a Ring employee watched thousands of videos belonging to dozens of female customers, including those in their bedrooms and bathrooms.
Additionally, the FTC says that Ring did not implement basic security protections for years which allowed hackers to take control of their customers’ accounts, cameras, and videos leading to 55,000 US Ring customers facing hacker attacks. In some cases, hackers could access Ring’s two-way functions to harass, insult, and threaten people – including children. The complaint alleges that Ring’s egregious privacy failings lasted for at least 4 years – between at least 2016 to 2020.
Amazon responded to the complaint saying that RIng had addressed the concerns before the FTC even began their inquiry.
The FTC proposed a settlement of $5.8 million in consumer refunds – as well as a demand for Ring to create a privacy and security program. The settlement also awaits federal court approval.
See what others are saying: (New York Times) (Axios) (CNBC)

Some have accused the company of joining a woke “cult” after learning of its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative.
Chick-fil-A Goes “Woke”
Conservatives are condemning Chick-fil-A after learning of the fast food chain’s commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Some have accused the brand of bowing “to the Woke mob.” Others have debated boycotting the chain.
Chick-fil-a bowed the knee to the Woke mob.
— Smash Baals (@smashbaals) May 30, 2023
https://t.co/chhvwmglko
We have a problem.
— Joey Mannarino (@JoeyMannarinoUS) May 30, 2023
Chick-Fil-A just hired a VP of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
This is bad. Very bad.
I don’t want to have to boycott.
Are we going to have to boycott?
It’s unclear when exactly Chick-fil-A began its DEI campaign, but according to LinkedIn, the current Vice President of DEI, Erick McReynolds, has been working in the department since 2020 before taking on his current role in 2021. It is also unclear why right-wingers on Twitter have just now discovered Chick-fil-A’s DEI website, but many spent a chunk of Tuesday morning lambasting the company for working to promote diversity.
Chick-fil-A’s DEI page is titled “Committed to being Better at Together.”
“Modeling care for others starts in the restaurant, and we are committed to ensuring mutual respect, understanding and dignity everywhere we do business,” McReynolds said in a statement on the website.
Chick-fil-A is no stranger to boycott campaigns, though those efforts usually come from the opposite side of the political aisle. The company, known for its strong Christian ties, has been criticized for donating to groups with anti-LGBTQ missions. As a result, many on the left have refused to eat there, while it has been a haven for those on the right.
Conservatives, however, have become increasingly outraged by DEI initiatives. Chick-fil-A’s website, which only vaguely outlines its DEI efforts, still seems to be enough for the right to change its tune about the brand.
“Even our beloved Chick-Fil-A has fallen to the DEI cult,” one person tweeted. “the same agenda that is turning our beloved military woke.”
Even our beloved Chick-Fil-A has fallen to the DEI cult (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion); the same agenda that is turning our beloved military woke.
— Caroline Kane for Congress (@CarolineKaneTX) May 30, 2023
This is what happens when we’ve allowed this Environmental, Social, and Governance score (ESG), pushed by anonymous Boards of…
“It’s becoming an epidemic that even Christian companies are being strong-armed to participate in,” the tweet continued.
Old Clip of Chairman Resurfaces
Some have also started resurfacing an old clip of Chick-fil-A Chairman Dan Cathy speaking on a panel about racism during the summer of 2020. During the discussion, he talked about repentance and said that if you ever see someone who needs their shoes shined, you should do it. He then walked over to a Black person on the panel, got on his knees, and shined their shoes.
“There’s a time in which we need to have, you know, some personal action here, and maybe we need to give them a hug, too,” Cathy said while shining the shoes.
“I bought about 1,500 of these and I gave them to all our Chick-fil-A operators and staff a number of years ago,” Cathy continued, in reference to his shoe-shining brush. “So, any expressions of a contrite heart, of a sense of humility, a sense of shame, a sense of embarrassment begat with an apologetic heart — I think that’s what our world needs to hear today.”
The clip caused a stir when the events first unfolded, and has prompted a new wave of anger now. Some are accusing Cathy of being “a woke, anti-American, anti-white BLM boot licker” who thinks all white people need to shamefully shine the shoes of Black people to apologize for racism, though that is not what he said.
Chick-Fil-A CEO Dan Cathy says ALL whites should get on their knees and shine black peoples’ shoes with "a sense of shame, a sense of embarrassment". pic.twitter.com/KlEotHowWU
— Stew Peters (@realstewpeters) May 30, 2023
The guy running chick-fil-A is a woke, anti-American, anti-white BLM boot licker. https://t.co/vwgYqzCX9J
— Mr. America (@ConservativesSo) May 30, 2023
These boycott calls are just the latest from conservatives who have been on a rampage against any company supporting any social cause they deem as “woke.” Earlier this year, the political right took a stand against Bud Light after it included a trans influencer in a sponsored Instagram post. Just last week, Target and Kohls faced boycotts over items in their Pride Month collections.
See what others are saying: (The Hill) (Rolling Stone) (AL)
Business
Bioré Apologizes For Referencing School Shooting in Mental Health Ad Campaign
Published
2 weeks agoon
May 23, 2023
“Our tonality was completely inappropriate. We are so sorry,” the skincare brand said.
Video Faces Backlash
The skincare brand Bioré apologized this week for partnering with a school shooting survivor as part of its Mental Health Awareness Month campaign.
“We are committed to continuing our mental health mission, but we promise to do it in a better way,” the company said in an Instagram post on Sunday.
Last week, influencer and recent Michigan State University graduate Cecilee Max-Brown posted a video to TikTok sponsored by Bioré where she discussed the numerous challenges she had faced throughout the year. Among them was a school shooting on her college’s campus, which killed three people in February.
“Life has thrown countless obstacles at me this year, from the school shooting to having no idea what life is going to look like after college,” Max-Brown says in the video. “In honor of mental health awareness month, I’m partnering with Bioré skin care to strip away the stigma of anxiety.
“We want you to get it all out, not only what’s in your pores, but most importantly, what’s on your mind, too,” she continued.
In the 50-second video, Max-Brown went on to discuss more details about her mental health struggles, as well as how “seeing the effects of gun violence firsthand” has impacted her and led to “countless anxiety attacks.”
“I will never forget the feeling of terror that I had walking around campus for weeks in a place I considered home,” she said before closing the video by encouraging her followers to participate in Bioré’s mental health campaign.
Bioré Apologizes
The video ignited swift outrage from people who accused Bioré of using a school shooting to sell products. In its apology, the brand admitted the video was misguided.
In the past, Bioré said it has worked with influencers to discuss and reduce mental health stigmas, as the subject is a top priority for its consumers.
“This time, however, we did it the wrong way,” the company said. “We lacked sensitivity around an incredibly serious tragedy, and our tonality was completely inappropriate. We are so sorry.”
Max-Brown also apologized on TikTok, writing that the video was intended to spread awareness, not suggest a product fixed the struggles she has experienced as a result of the shooting.
“I did not mean to desensitize the traumatic event that took place as I know the effects that it has had on me and the Spartan community,” she wrote.
Max-Brown has since removed the initial sponsored video from her account.
See what others are saying: (The New York Times) (NBC News) (The Independent)

Amazon to Pay Over $30 Million for Alexa and Ring Privacy Violations

Debt Limit Bill Passes the House — Here’s What You Need to Know

Right-Wingers Are Turning Against Chick-fil-A

Texas State Senate Sets Date for AG Ken Paxton’s Impeachment Trial

Max to Agrees to “Properly” Credit Writers and Directors After Facing Backlash For Lumping Them in As “Creators”

95-Year-Old Woman Dies After Police Tases Her in Nursing Home

Survey and Census Data Shows Record Number of Americans are Struggling Financially

Bioré Apologizes For Referencing School Shooting in Mental Health Ad Campaign

Trump Lawyer Notes Indicate Former President May Have Obstructed Justice in Mar-a-Lago Documents Probe

Homeless Men Promised Money to Pose as Veterans in Anti-Immigrant Scheme, Sources Allege

Lawmakers Have 10 Days to Reach Debt Deal: Here’s How Failure Would Impact Americans

Influencer Coconut Kitty Accused of Editing Nude and Suggestive Photos To Make Herself Look Underage

Corinna Kopf Accused of Scamming Fans With OnlyFans Launch

Lil Nas X and Bella Poarch May Have Abandoned Plans To Participate In TikTok NFT Program

Influencers Exposed for Posting Fake Private Jet Photos

Belle Delphine Calls Out YouTube for Double Standards After It Terminated Her Channel

Tana Mongeau’s “Booty for Biden” Promotion Sparks Legal Concerns

Instagram Head Says Scammer, Not Facebook Employee, May Have Asked Julia Rose for $65K To Restore Her Accounts

Fans Defend Billie Eilish From Body Shamers After Paparazzi Photo Goes Viral

Charli D’Amelio’s Dunkin’ Partnership Proves Successful

Mark Rober Faces Backlash Over NEXT For Autism Fundraiser

Amouranth Says Twitch Suspended Ads on Her Channel Without Warning

Why The Internet Is Freaking Out About The Cringiest Man On The Internet & Today’s News

“She Is Evil!” What Addison Rae Religious Backlash Reveals, Joe Rogan, Jake Paul, Teacher Shortage

Alex Jones Was Just Exposed BY HIS OWN LAWYERS! lol WOW! Beyonce Backlash, GenZ Debt, & Today’s News

These Ninja Scamming Accusations Expose A Growing Problem & How Spiders Are Causing Massive Fires

The Problem With Will Smith’s Apology Video & Taylor Swift Climate Backlash, Taiwan, & Today’s News

PewDiePie Backlash Grows After Mocking Deaf TikToker, Jon Stewart Unloads on Cruel Cowards, & More

Leave Shawn Mendes Alone You Weirdos! He’s Not The One You Should Be Angry At… (And Today’s News)

The Logan Paul, Nope, Pink Sauce Backlash Really Exposed 4 Key Things…

Why Dave Chappelle Can’t Get Cancelled…Even After He Gets Cancelled & What FaZe Clan’s Flop Exposes

Get These People Off TV If They’re Going To Be This Dumb! Plus AOC Arrested, Student Loans, & More

HE IS A DRUGGED-OUT MAN BABY! Why People Are Talking About Joe Rogan, Zack Snyder, Climate Change, &

A Quarter of Young British Men Support Andrew Tate’s Thoughts on Women

Homeless Men Promised Money to Pose as Veterans in Anti-Immigrant Scheme, Sources Allege

95-Year-Old Woman Dies After Police Tases Her in Nursing Home

Bioré Apologizes For Referencing School Shooting in Mental Health Ad Campaign

U.K. Police Face Backlash After Arresting Anti-Monarchy Protesters

GOP Congressman George Santos Arrested for Lies, Theft, Fraud

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Involved in “Near Catastrophic” Paparazzi Chase

Tucker Carlson Announces Post-Fox News Pivot: A Show on Twitter

Max to Agrees to “Properly” Credit Writers and Directors After Facing Backlash For Lumping Them in As “Creators”

Montana Governor Signs TikTok Ban

Lawmakers Have 10 Days to Reach Debt Deal: Here’s How Failure Would Impact Americans

Amazon to Pay Over $30 Million for Alexa and Ring Privacy Violations

Debt Limit Bill Passes the House — Here’s What You Need to Know

Right-Wingers Are Turning Against Chick-fil-A

Texas State Senate Sets Date for AG Ken Paxton’s Impeachment Trial

Max to Agrees to “Properly” Credit Writers and Directors After Facing Backlash For Lumping Them in As “Creators”

95-Year-Old Woman Dies After Police Tases Her in Nursing Home

Survey and Census Data Shows Record Number of Americans are Struggling Financially

Bioré Apologizes For Referencing School Shooting in Mental Health Ad Campaign

Trump Lawyer Notes Indicate Former President May Have Obstructed Justice in Mar-a-Lago Documents Probe

Homeless Men Promised Money to Pose as Veterans in Anti-Immigrant Scheme, Sources Allege

Lawmakers Have 10 Days to Reach Debt Deal: Here’s How Failure Would Impact Americans

Why The Internet Is Freaking Out About The Cringiest Man On The Internet & Today’s News

“She Is Evil!” What Addison Rae Religious Backlash Reveals, Joe Rogan, Jake Paul, Teacher Shortage

Alex Jones Was Just Exposed BY HIS OWN LAWYERS! lol WOW! Beyonce Backlash, GenZ Debt, & Today’s News

These Ninja Scamming Accusations Expose A Growing Problem & How Spiders Are Causing Massive Fires

The Problem With Will Smith’s Apology Video & Taylor Swift Climate Backlash, Taiwan, & Today’s News

PewDiePie Backlash Grows After Mocking Deaf TikToker, Jon Stewart Unloads on Cruel Cowards, & More

Leave Shawn Mendes Alone You Weirdos! He’s Not The One You Should Be Angry At… (And Today’s News)

The Logan Paul, Nope, Pink Sauce Backlash Really Exposed 4 Key Things…

Why Dave Chappelle Can’t Get Cancelled…Even After He Gets Cancelled & What FaZe Clan’s Flop Exposes

Get These People Off TV If They’re Going To Be This Dumb! Plus AOC Arrested, Student Loans, & More
