Starbucks To Close 16 Stores , Over Safety Concerns.<br />AP reports that on July 12, Starbucks said it will be closing certain stores around the country in response to safety concerns made by staff.<br />Debbie Stroud and Denise Nelson, <br />Starbucks' senior vice presidents of operations, .<br />issued a letter to employees explaining that the stores aren't immune from issues like drug use and the mental health crisis.<br />We know these challenges can, at times, play out within our stores too. We read every incident report you file — it’s a lot, Debbie Stroud and Denise Nelson, <br />Starbucks' senior vice presidents of operations, via letter.<br />The stores that will be closing include six in Seattle, six in L.A., two in Portland, one in Philadelphia and one in Washington.<br />AP reports some Starbucks workers have criticized the move, saying they weren't consulted or provided options other than closure.<br />We think it is not fair that we were not allowed to be a part of this decision about our working conditions, nor for Starbucks to claim they could not provide a safe experience for our workplace, Mari Cosgrove, an employee at one of the Seattle stores that is closing, via AP.<br />The store closures come at a time when Starbucks is facing ongoing unionization efforts at various locations.<br />AP reports that two of the stores scheduled to close in Seattle voted to unionize, and one of the locations in Portland petitioned to hold a union vote.<br />A unionized store in Ithaca, New York, was also shuttered last month due to operational issues.<br />The company insists the closures aren't related to unionization efforts.<br /> but Starbucks Workers United plans to file unfair labor practice charges against the coffee giant regarding the two stores in Seattle that are closing
