<p>
</p>
<p>Starbucks used to be one of those amazing companies that set the bar in employee pay, and they had a real reciprocol relationship with their original baristas, and I think the guy who wrote the book still has his romantic vision of what starbucks is, but it’s not what it is anymore, not to the employees. But… some of the customers have a good relationship with the baristas, know their names, what they are studying in school, know when one of them has a new baby, whatnot… it used to be, I think, it was like that more. I have a very good relationship with my local baristas.</p>
<p>The grocery stores pay very well. All of them. And the ones who don’t want the unions to come in still pay the same rate as the local unions… You start at 8 dollars as a starbucks barista. You start at 10 as even a checkout person or bagger at a grocery store.</p>
<p>It correlates.</p>
<p>eta: I think Schulz was in love with the idea of the italian coffee bar experience, but is now in love with a more McDonald’s model. It probably started when they put in the drive-thrus. Emphasis on speed. It’s not really about relationships at that point, but about price points and profits.</p>
<p>Also, Starbucks stock is valued right now at something like 36 times earnings and mcDonalds at something like 16x, which is a more stable valuation. So, now, the board is “protecting” it’s price. They used to give the employees a lot of stock and a lot of ownership, and now it’s kind of symbolic more than actual. This may explain how and why things have changed. JMO</p>