Nextdoor is a social media community application found
around the country. The one for my area
is called Nextdoor East Falls, and the usual topics concern restaurant openings,
community events, the farmers market, street closings, and so on. Frequently, however, politics creeps onto the
forum and when it does, it is invariably the politics of the liberal left.
The following exchange is typical of the thinking in my
neighborhood. It has been slightly
edited and all the names have been changed.
The originator of this thread, whom I call Laura Davis, is a woman who
appears to be in her mid-twenties, with no obvious health issues or
disabilities, so her chance of contracting the coronavirus and dying (because
of her job at the Starbucks drive-through), is virtually zero. Also, though there are 36 million people
unemployed and though tens of thousands of businesses have been closed, and
though the coming months may bring untold millions to despair and homelessness
and substance abuse and suicide, and though famines are likely around the world
because of the economic lockdowns, Ms. Davis has a job.
A reminder from your local Starbucks Barista:
Laura Davis, South Roxborough. 5-5-20
Starbucks is NOT
essential. I’m at work because I don’t really have a choice, but you have a
choice to stay inside and avoid unnecessary trips. Quarantine isn’t over just
because you’re bored! It’s one thing to order local delivery to support small
business, but another entirely to continue to frequent places like Starbucks,
McDonalds, etc, who will survive this and are currently exploiting their
workers.
V. M.
O.K. No restaurant is essential in your mind. Do
all your fellow workers agree?
Laura Davis
That’s not quite what
I said. I support small, locally owned restaurants and their right to safely
stay open at their choosing. But I feel that the “it’s food so it’s essential”
gap has paved the way for people like me to be stuck in a job that’s potentially
dangerous for no good reason (whereas first responders: dangerous job but
saving lives) and definitely more hectic than it needs to be with everything
currently going on because fast food chains want to stay open. Where local
businesses could shut down over this, chains will survive. And what I’m seeing,
working in one of the only drive thru locations in Philly, is our line being
clogged with nonessential workers, our staff trying our best to handle these
long lines but not really having much control over the whole situation, and
dealing with customers who are incredibly angry over the line length especially
with mobile ordering and Uber Eats still being options, but also required to
wait in lines, and most people I interact with on a daily basis aren’t taking
any safety precautions, etc. Dangerous for no reason, especially with numbers
still as high as they are, for a nonessential business, just to be yelled at
anyway. During a pandemic. I would advocate for better protections for workers
stuck in a similar position, so that they don’t feel financially dependent on a
precarious situation. But by all means, please order local.
Laura Davis
I think it really
depends on the location you’re at, a lot of my struggle is seeing our lines
clogged because people are out with nothing else to do, and because we’re one
of the only drive thrus in Philly, and that’s what gets me. I wouldn’t mind
staying open to serve other essential workers, but it’s pretty clear who’s out
just for fun and who’s out for a caffeine dose before work.
Annoyed Presumed Fascist
What do you mean by
"I’m at work because I don’t really have a choice"? Are you inferring
you have to go to work because you need the money? How do you expect Starbucks
to continue paying you if everyone stops showing up to purchase coffee? Next
thing you know you'll be out of a job and asking neighbors to join you in a
rent freeze.
Laura Davis
That’s exactly what
I’m saying. I can’t look for another job, because no one is hiring. I would
most likely be denied for unemployment if I quit, because I don’t have any
pre-existing conditions and haven’t technically been laid off. I assume you’re
trying to be hurtful by saying that I’d be striking for a rent freeze, but I
absolutely would. I’m a firm believer in humanity over profits and the way our
economy and large businesses as a whole are handling this pandemic and
profiting/exploiting off of fear and disaster is very upsetting to me and many
other demographics that you may not be well acquainted with. For instance, did
you know that this pandemic is most greatly affecting minorities and those
working below a certain pay grade (a little above minimum wage)? That’s where
my concern lies.
K. C.
If anyone in the
neighborhood is organizing for tenants' rights, please contact me--I would like
to volunteer.
S. G.
And she’s right.
Starbucks could certainly pay its staff to stay home via a PPP or just dig into
its corporate pockets and cover its staff while this pandemic rolls on. Some
people don’t have much of a choice when it comes to paying the rent or buying
groceries so have to put themselves at risk. Heading to Starbucks because you
have to have your whatever frappacino puts others at risk of contracting Covid
19.
Annoyed Presumed Fascist
That's awesome, I'd
love to work for a company that is paying people to stay home and not work
currently. Any leads on that?
B. S.
The Census Bureau
did. A giant corporation like Starbucks could absolutely afford to,
A. M.
It’s like going to
Target to buy necessities (food, medications, household items) vs going to
Target just to buy shoes, earrings and purses. I’m thankful for the store that
are open, but it’s good to stick to just the most essential trips.
S. F.
You're 10000%
correct. I feel awful for all non-essential (and some essential, like grocery
stores) workers being taken advantage of right now. What can we do? Can we
write to someone?
K.T.
http://chng.it/G5VgXtQgVR it would be awesome if you could sign this
petition for Starbucks employees to keep our $3 raise! Outside of the city we
are way underpaid and the extra money through this time has really helped
partners (employees). No pressure at all tho if you don’t want to! Also
hopefully it doesn’t show up in Spanish, I’m not sure why the website thinks I
speak Spanish and it shows up that way for me.
Copyright2020MichaelKubacki
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