The Starbucks decision in San Diego has spurred a lawsuit for baristas in New York.
From NY METRO:
The lawsuits against Starbucks — still steamed from a recent ruling by a California judge ordering to pay more than 0 million in tips and interests to baristas — are frothing over.
Jeana Barenboim, 22, a former barista at a Forest Hills Starbucks, filed a federal lawsuit against the coffee giant yesterday in the Southern District of New York. A similar suit was filed last week in Boston.
Like the California case, these former baristas claim they were forced to share tips with shift supervisors.
SEE: http://www.iww.org/en/node/4087
LA TIMES:
Starbucks got caught with its hand in the tip jar and was ordered Thursday to pay California baristas more than 0 million.
In a San Diego County class-action lawsuit, a judge ordered the coffee giant to pay back tips, with interest, that the company had handed over to shift supervisors. Some baristas could receive more than ,000, according to their attorney.
The ruling was met with cheers by California baristas. "I'm stoked," said Leekeisha Smith, who makes coffee drinks in the Starbucks at Sunset Boulevard and La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles.
"Wow. I'm just shocked that we'll get that [money] back." Smith, 23, said she found out about the lawsuit from a letter sent to employees.
Starbucks Corp. said it was outraged and vowed to appeal. In a statement, the company said the decision "is not only contrary to law, it is fundamentally unfair and beyond all common sense and reason."
SEE: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-starbucks21mar21,0,50639.story
There are tip jars appearing at some fast-food restaurants across LA. These tips belong to the workers on the front line, not the management. Management and owners have no right to take this money and take a cut, or even to help divide the tips to the workers. The workers are supposed to gather the cash, and divide it among themselves. Management must not be involved.
This is the law.