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Global coffee giant Starbucks announced a new dress code for its baristas on April 14 for a "more consistent experience" across outlets. However, some baristas are protesting about the new dress code, which is applicable from May 12. Political commentator Michael Knowles has slammed the protesters, calling them "frivolous and decadent workers."
As per the new policy, baristas have to wear a black shirt beneath their signature green apron and pair it with any shade of khaki, black, or blue denim bottoms.
Starbucks Workers United posted a video on April 30, in which a few baristas marched on the management against the updated dress code.
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Knowles has talked about this protest in the May 3 episode of The Michael Knowles Show. The host, who calls himself right-leaning, slammed the protest and supported the new dress code.
"They say that they're updating the dress code so that they can deliver a more consistent coffee house experience, bring simpler guidance to partners, and allow those uh green aprons to pop a little bit more. Okay, that was too much for a handful of frivolous and decadent Starbucks employees," Knowles said on his show.
Michael Knowles further questioned the legal understanding of the protestors when one protester in the video said that it's not legal for a coffeehouse to have a dress code.
He further said that he is one of the few "pro-Starbucks conservatives" and supported the policy for "uniformity."
I don't want to look at a bunch of weird stuff when I go into Starbucks.....It's not about the employees. The audacity of these people to say, "We Starbucks partners, you're not a partner. You're an employee and you should be grateful to your employers for giving you a relatively great job," Knowles added.
The host shared a contrary view to protesters and said that a uniform "paradoxically allows you to become more fully yourself."
He further added that individuality comes from rational nature and not from a "stupid t-shirt."
More about Starbucks' new dress policy
On April 14, the multinational coffee house rolled out a new dress code for North American stores in a bid to offer a "more consistent coffeehouse experience."
The dress code, which comes into force on May 12, will highlight the iconic green apron of the label more prominently. The brand describes the new dress code as:
"The more defined color palette includes any solid black short and long-sleeved crewneck, collared, or button-up shirts and any shade of khaki, black, or blue denim bottoms. We’re also making a new line of company branded t-shirts available to partners, who will receive two at no cost – including partner network options."
On April 30, Starbucks Workers Union shared a video of Seattle Roastery, in which baristas are protesting against the change.
The union has been posting on social media against this ever since the new code was announced.
On April 18, the union shared an Instagram post featuring screenshots from a Reddit post, which listed the reasons for the objection against the new code.
The post says the change will increase expense, calls it regressive, and calls the new code concerning for queer people's styling.
The union claims that instead of working on core issues like "understaffing, inaccessible benefits, discrimination, and low wages," the brand is focusing on unimportant dress changes.
