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On Monday, Starbucks rolled out a new dress code as part of its larger corporate overhaul. But union workers say the change is both restrictive and unproductiveand now, baristas are walking out. The dress code comes as new CEO Brian Niccol is on a mission to bring the brand back to basics, including by scaling back its menu, returning hand-written notes on cups, and introducing ceramic mugs in stores. Employees are now required to wear a more simplified palette of solid black tops along with khaki, black, or blue denim bottoms under the companys signature-green apron. However, in an email to supporters, Starbucks Workers Unitedthe union representing Starbucks baristascalled the dress code restrictive, adding that it was implemented without input from the baristas it affects. The union has been bargaining to reach a contract with Starbucks for over three years, with no end in sight. It says that the new dress code represents bad faith bargaining, alleging that the code undermines a tentative agreement about attire made at the bargaining table. A spokesperson from Workers United told Fast Company that, as of Wednesday evening, walkouts have occurred at more than 100 Starbucks locations and included more than 1,200 baristas. The strikes come in the wake of a lackluster financial report for Starbucks’s second quarter of 2025, during which revenue dipped below expectations, U.S. comparable store sales declined 2%, and U.S. comparable transactions were down 4%leaving some analysts wondering just how well Niccol’s “back to basics” plan is actually working. Union workers are frustrated with the new dress code According to a series of videos posted by Workers United, baristas are frustrated with the new dress code for a number of reasons. In one clip posted to Bluesky, a group of workers at a store in Dallas claim they were told their black sneakers were no longer acceptable under the dress code, and that they would have to buy new shoes before returning to work. The Workers United spokesperson explained that, in the past, waterproof shoes have always been a requirement. On Monday, though, several workers (including those in the aforementioned video) claim they were told their waterproof shoes couldnt have any mesh fabric, despite the fact that such a stipulation was not included in the new dress code. As this new dress code begins to be enforced, Starbucks didn't provide money for new shoes. The company would rather understaff stores than let us work in the shoes we've always worn during shifts. Customers don't care about what's on our feet![image or embed]— Starbucks Workers United (@sbworkersunited.org) May 13, 2025 at 7:50 AM The spokesperson also alleged that employees have been sent home for small details like the color of their blue jeans or the number of visible piercings. Managers are told that they have to enforce all these things; otherwise their own jobs are in jeopardy, the spokesperson said. It’s creating a lot of frustration and confusion, and making baristas feel like this really isn’t about what they’re wearing; it’s just about control. In another video of workers announcing their reasons for walking out, one barista shared: Now we have to purchase new shirts and shoes to be compliant with the new policy. Why doesnt Starbucks do the right thing and provide a stipend for these newly required items? View this post on Instagram A post shared by Starbucks Workers United (@sbworkersunited) Starbucks announced its dress code change on April 14. At the time, the company said it was also launching a line of company-branded T-shirts, adding that employees could receive two of these shirts at no cost. However, the Workers United spokesperson said theyd received several reports of the free shirts not being ready for baristas on Monday. Starbucks, on the other hand, claimed that, of the 18 styles available, only three were temporarily unavailable in a few sizes this week. In response to the recent walkouts, a Starbucks spokesperson said: The biggest update to our dress code is simple: wear a black shirteither your own or one we provide.While Workers United, which represents less than 5% of our workforce, attempted to create disruption in a handful of stores, the overwhelming majority of our 10,000 U.S. company-operated stores remain open and are serving customers as normal. The spokesperson noted that there haven’t been any changes to the shoes baristas can wear, other than the heel height, adding that footwear can be black, grey, navy, brown, tan, or white. However, they did not comment on baristas’ complaints about the inconsistent application of the dress code. The spokesperson added that it would be more productive if the union would put the same effort into coming back to the table to finalize a reasonable contract. A broader issue Strikes due to the dress code are just the latest chapter in an ongoing battle between Workers United and Starbucksand union members say their concerns go far beyond what they’re supposed to wear. Over the past three and a half years, Workers United has been in a continuous bargaining process with Starbucks management, seeking a contract that includes higher wages, guaranteed hours, and better staffing in stores. Members reported that negotiations between the union and the company broke down in late February, which has led union members to increasingly engage in acts of civil disobedience, like sip-ins, walkouts, and picket lines. In the past, both the union and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) have argued that Starbucks hasnt been bargaining in good faith. In December, Workers United filed an updated unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB outlining their concerns around the drawn-out bargaining process. And, recently, the union filed a new amendment with the NLRB alleging failure to bargain over the dress code. The amendment calls the dress code an example of bad faith bargaining for unilaterally implementing a new dress code policy . . . that materially differed from both the status quo and what the parties had tentatively agreed to at the bargaining table. A Starbucks spokesperson said they would “make sure any differences between our negotiations and store implementations are addressed lawfully and fairly.” Jasmine Leli is a barista from Buffalo, New York, whos worked at Starbucks for three years. Shes also one of the union bargaining delegates who ran the dress code working group that led to a tentative agreement about a future dress code. The unions proposed dress code, she says, included protections like allowing workers to wear union T-shirts to work and to keep their visible piercings. Leli calls the new dress code a distraction from fixing the real issues that we have in our stores. As partners, we don’t have guaranteed hours, Leli says. We don’t have enough people at work during the middle of the day and at night. I’m not getting all of the hours that I need. I’m not making a fair wageI got a 30cent raiseand now I’m being asked to go out and purchase a completely new wardrobe, including shoes, and our contract hasn’t been finalized. Ultimately, Leli says, Starbucks should be working to finish the contract and solve its staffing issuenot implementing a new dress code. Customers care more about the wait time for their latte than the shirt their barista is wearing, she adds. We’re more than mad because the changes that the company is making don’t address the issues that we’re facing in the stores, Leli says. Starbucks is iconic for their green apron. Customers know they’re walking into a Starbucks. It’s not a mystery. And with my regulars, I know their drink, and they know me, whether I’m in a purple shirt or a black shirt.
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When I lived in Florida, I had a neighbor named Ms. Carmen. She was in her late 70s, fiercely independent, and lived alone with her two dogs and one cat, which were her closest companions. Each hurricane season, she would anxiously ask if I would check on her when the winds began to pick up. She once told me: “Im more afraid of being forgotten than of the storm itself.” Her fear wasnt just about the weather; it was about facing it alone. When hurricanes hit, we often measure the damage in downed power lines, flooded roads, and wind-torn homes. But some of the most serious consequences are harder to see, especially for older adults who may struggle with mobility, chronic health problems, and cognitive decline. Emergency preparedness plans too often overlook the specific needs of elders in Americas aging population, many of whom live alone. For people like Ms. Carmen, resilience needs to start long before the storm. The number of older adults in the U.S. and the percentage of the population age 65 and older have been rising. [Image: US Census Bureau] I study disaster preparations and response. To prepare for hurricane season, and any other disaster, I encourage families to work with their older adults now to create an emergency plan. Preparing can help ensure that older adults will be safe and able to contact relatives or others for help, and will have the medications, documents and supplies they need, as well as the peace of mind of knowing what steps to take. Recent hurricanes show the gaps In 2024, Hurricanes Helene and Milton put a spotlight on the risks to older adults. The storms forced thousands of people to evacuate, often to shelters with little more than food supplies and mattresses on the floor, and ill-equipped for medical needs. Flooding isolated many rural homes, stranding older adults. Power was out for weeks in some areas. Emergency systems were overwhelmed. A tornado tore into a senior community in Port St. Lucie, Florida, during Milton, killing six people. Some long-term care facilities lost power and water during Helene. At the same time, some older adults chose to stay in homes in harms way for fear that they would be separated from their pets or that their homes would be vandalized. These events are not just tragic; they are predictable. Many older adults cannot evacuate without assistance, and many evacuation centers arent prepared to handle their needs. How to prepare: 5 key steps Helping older adults prepare for emergencies should involve the entire family so everyone knows what to expect. The best plans are personal, practical, and proactive, but they will contain some common elements. Here are five important steps: 1. Prepare an emergency folder with important documents. Disasters can leave older adults without essential information and supplies that they need, such as prescription lists, financial records, medical devices andimportantlycontact information to reach family, friends, and neighbors who could help them. Many older adults rely on preprogrammed phone numbers. If their phone is lost or the battery dies, they may not know how to reach friends or loved ones, so its useful to have a hard copy of phone numbers. Consider encouraging the use of medical ID bracelets or cards for those with memory loss. Hurricane season begins June 1. Dont wait until its too late.To prepare ahead you can develop an evacuation plan, assemble a disaster supply kit, create a communications plan and more.For more hurricane preparedness tips, visit: https://t.co/gG4ogHLnOg pic.twitter.com/Wukb1C1CUt— Polk Emergency Mgmt (@polkemergency) May 6, 2025 Critical documents like wills, home deeds, powers of attorney, and insurance records are frequently kept in physical form and may be forgotten or lost in a sudden evacuation. Use waterproof storage thats easy to carry, and share copies with trusted caregivers and family members in case those documents are lost. 2. Have backup medications and equipment. Think about that persons assistive devices and health needs. Having extra batteries on hand is important, as is remembering to bring chargers and personal mobility aids, such as walkers, canes, mobility scooters, or wheelchairs. Do not forget that service animals support mobility, so having supplies of their food will be important during a hurricane or evacuation. Ask doctors to provide an emergency set of medications in case supplies run low in a disaster. If the person is staying in their home, prepare for at least 72 hours of self-sufficiency in case the power goes out. That means having enough bottled water, extra pet food, and human food that doesnt need refrigeration or cooking. 3. Map evacuation routes and shelter options. Identify nearby shelters that will likely be able to support older adults mobility and cognitive challenges. If the person has pets, make a plan for them, toomany areas will have at least one pet-friendly shelter, but not all shelters will take pets. Figure out how the person will get to a shelter, and have a backup plan in case their usual transportation isnt an option. And decide where they will go and how they will get there if they cant return home after a storm. If your loved one lives in a care facility, ask to see that facilitys hurricane plan. 4. Create a multiperson check-in system. Dont rely on just one caregiver or family member to check on older adults. Involve neighbors, faith communities, or local services such as home-delivered meals, transportation assistance, support groups, and senior centers. Redundancy is crucial when systems break down. 5. Practice the plan. Go through evacuation steps in advance so everyone knows what to do. Executing the plan should be second nature, not a scramble during a disaster or crisis. Planning with, not just for, older adults Emergency planning isnt something done for older adultsits something done with them. Elders bring not only vulnerability but also wisdom. Their preferences and autonomy will have to guide decisions for the plan to be successful in a crisis. That means listening to their needs, honoring their independence, and making sure caregivers have realistic plans in place. Its an important shift from just reacting to a storm to preparing with purpose. Lee Ann Rawlins Williams is a clinical assistant professor of education, health and behavior studies at the University of North Dakota. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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E-Commerce
Americans often receive a lot of grief for being less internationally traveled than citizens of other countries. But in recent years, more Americans are traveling abroad than ever before. Numbers compiled by the digital magazine Travel and Tour World (TTW) show that in March 2025, 6.56 million Americans flew outside of the country. Thats 1.6% more than the same period a year earlier, and more than 22% more than in 2019the year before the pandemic caused international travel to grind to a halt. TTW cites pent-up demand, strong personal savings among affluent demographics, and a growing appetite for immersive cultural experiences as the main reasons more Americans are traveling overseas. And those numbers from March will likely increase this month as the school season ends and Americans start heading out on summer vacations, especially since ticket prices have been dropping lately as airlines lower their fares to entice inflation-wary consumers to travel. But if it’s your first time traveling internationally, you may not be aware that the reigning transportation and mapping app kings in the United States, Google Maps and Apple Maps, arent always the best to use in other countries. There are others that will enable you to navigate new lands more easily, especially the abundant public transportation options that most other countries offer. With that in mind, here are some apps to download before you head out on your global travels. Citymapper Citymapper is probably the most recognizable app on this list, and thats because it does one thing better than nearly any other app: It helps you navigate some of the worlds best cities, whether that be by foot, car, bicycle, scooter, tram, ferry, or other city-specific modes of transitway more modes than Apple or Google offers in most locales. Citymapper is already pretty popular in America because it helps residents and visitors in big cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., get around. However, while the app supports just 28 cities in America, it supports 72 in Europe, along with prominent Asian destinations, including Tokyo, Seoul, and Hong Kong. Moovit If you need public transit directions in America or most major European cities, Google Maps or Apple Maps can do a decent job of getting you from point A to point B. But if you are in less frequently traveled countries of the world, you’ll find that Google Maps and Apple Maps dont always reveal all the public transportation options that are available when trying to get across a cityor from city to city. Thankfully, theres Moovit, which boasts public transit directions for more than 112 countries and 3,400 cities across the globeincluding many in the Global South, which many transit apps frequently overlook. If you are traveling in Eastern Europe, South America, Africa, or large parts of Asia, Moovit will likely show you the most public transportation options available. Another great thing about the app is that it lets you download a citys transit maps for offline viewing. Naver Map Few countries have a geopolitical postwar history that’s as fascinating as South Korea. The country, which is still technically at war with North Korea, rapidly industrialized after the 1960s to become one of the worlds most economically and technologically advanced nations. If you plan to visit South Korea, be sure to download Naver Map before you go. Naver Map is the Google Maps of South Korea, and it features nearly everything you would expect to find in Google Maps, including transportation directions and business listings. You can still use Google Maps or Apple Maps in South Korea, but their real-time transportation direction capabilities are significantly nerfed. Thats because South Korean law requires mapping providers to store their mapping data within the countrysomething neither Google nor Apple does. And yes, while Naver Map is predominantly used by locals, the smartphone app is also available in English, making it a must-have for American visitors. Rome2Rio The apps above are mostly very city- or country-specific. But what if you are going on a multination journeysay from Portugal to Finlandand stopping at multiple cities on the way? There is probably no better app that helps you get from one country to another than Rome2Rio. Fast Company has previously spotlighted the platformwhich is basically like a Google Maps for major modes of travel between any two points on the planetbut it’s worth mentioning here again because it is so useful (and the smartphone app is great). Rome2Rio will show you how to navigate between two placesno matter if by car, train, bus, plane, or ferryand show you how much it is likely to cost based on your selected mode of transport. Transit Finally, it’s worth mentioning that one of the easiest transportation apps to use is Transit, thanks to its excellent user interface, which makes following step-by-step transit directions a cinch. As soon as you open the app, youll instantly see the public transport options closest to youno searching required. It also displays route options in a color-coded bar chart format, letting you choose the best one for you at a glance. Transit is currently available in 25 countries and over 870 cities. The majority of those cities are in the United States, Canada, and France, but the app also supports major cities in popular destinations for U.S. tourists, including the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and other select global cities.
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