Man Fired from Starbucks after Musical YouTube Rant

CommanderFrank

Cat Can't Scratch It
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May 9, 2000
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Can I get you a large latte with a “we have no sense of humor” topping? Starbucks, as it seems really has no sense of humor when it comes to their employees singing disparaging songs about their illustrious employer. One employee had a YouTube video get some playtime from several blogs and was seen by Starbucks corporate management. They were not amused.....maybe they should switch to decaf :D

"While Christopher was expressing his own views in the video, the disparaging remarks about [Starbucks'] customers and company are unacceptable and out of line with [its] commitment to [its] customers and partners (employees)."
 
You may want to treat the YouTube video as NSFW for several words in the song if you are at work. We don't want to add another casualty :D
 
If he was on the clock and actually at the Starbucks making those comments, then i'd understand the firing, but off the clock and at home, he can say what ever the hell he wants.

And even if it affects the company, well all that does is give them a chance to change the issues.
 
If he was on the clock and actually at the Starbucks making those comments, then i'd understand the firing, but off the clock and at home, he can say what ever the hell he wants.

And even if it affects the company, well all that does is give them a chance to change the issues.

Yeah, he sure is free to say what he wants.

And they're free to terminate him for it, too.

Freedom of speech is protected, but the amendment doesn't stop someone from taking actions based on that freedom of speech.
 
Heh, my girlfriend works at Starbucks. She complains about exactly the same stuff as that guy.

I'll have to show that to her later.
 
Yeah, he sure is free to say what he wants.

And they're free to terminate him for it, too.

Freedom of speech is protected, but the amendment doesn't stop someone from taking actions based on that freedom of speech.

We'll let the lawyers and courts figure that out. I know that this issue has been brought up before about stuff on the internet getting people fired and they were given their jobs back by the courts.

Their are labor laws in this country that apply after you are past your probationary period.
 
I manage a Starbucks, and their response doesn't surprise me. The stuff that Starbucks does to its employees and backstage where the customers can't see is quite.. crazy. They are also a big hypocrite advocating going "greener" when they throw out so much of their materials, and waste tons of their product.

Enough of MY rant though!

Heh, my girlfriend works at Starbucks. She complains about exactly the same stuff as that guy.

I'll have to show that to her later.

I complain about the same things too! haha.
 
If that's a Starbucks apron he's wearing then Starbucks is perfectly in their right to fire him.
 
Yeah, he sure is free to say what he wants.

And they're free to terminate him for it, too.

Freedom of speech is protected, but the amendment doesn't stop someone from taking actions based on that freedom of speech.

Most constitutional protections (such as the Bill of Rights) only apply to governmental actions against citizens, not to actions by private persons and companies against other private parties. Other laws (contract, labor, etc.) may give some protections in some circumstances AFAIK, but barring that, Starbucks may be within their rights if the person in question was using their service marks (wearing the green apron with their logo on it).

Simply put, in my estimation, he was within his rights to complain about his employer and their customers, just as it was Starbucks' right to can his ass for running down their business.
 
I was expecting a shitty song, and it was actually put together very well! They should have that playing over the speakers there, maybe put his CD for sale up on the counter.
 
I find the guy to be a moron. You have to be an idiot, if you think that you can just say whatever you want about your place of work, and not face any repercussions. Free speech can be quite expensive if you don't realize that sometimes, shutting the hell up, is in your best interests.

If he is in an at will state, they can fire him without reason. They just have to pay the unemployment. Even if he is not in an at will state, publicly running your company down, even off duty/work hours, could lead to your termination. It is easy to fire someone over false pretenses. Easier still to just cut some part time idiots hours to the point that he finds another job and quits. Since that did not happen, I am going to guess Starbucks ran it past legal b4 firing the guy.
 
I manage a Starbucks, and their response doesn't surprise me. The stuff that Starbucks does to its employees and backstage where the customers can't see is quite.. crazy. They are also a big hypocrite advocating going "greener" when they throw out so much of their materials, and waste tons of their product.

Enough of MY rant though!



I complain about the same things too! haha.

I am a DM for Starbucks... you are either misinformed, disgruntled, or not an actual SM. This company treats its people better than 99% percent of companies out there. Perhaps you should explore DD.
 
Free speech can be quite expensive..

Bingo. Where the hell did people get the idea you can do this stuff, broadcast it to the world and just go on like nothing ever happened? I thought the song was cute but good grief, do it in private among friends and family for crying out loud.
 
I don't have a source other than my old man, but he said starbucks refused to send a shipment of coffee overseas to the troops or something along those lines. Real nice, as the person who made that decision probably never has to worry about his life or his son or daughters life or really any sort of adversity at all. Pretty sad.
 
At my job in the Houston area I just termed an employee for making a video and posting it in a video online. The video was her giving another employee a hard time over the phone. (High school BS). We did not fire her for her language but for the fact that she signed a social media policy and she violated that policy. Like the guy in the Starbucks video she was in uniform.

Most companies these days are doing things like social media contracts to protect their brand recognition.

Chances of this guy winning a lawsuit are most likely slim to none if they have a policy in place for it.
 
Since we have so many "Starbucks Managers" on this forum I have a request..

Would you please teach your employee's how to NOT destroy espresso? Espresso isn't supposed to taste like burnt tar. My wife buys the beans and I have made espresso from them and it is pretty decent. I have yet to ever find a starbucks that it wasn't god awful burn poo. That stuff isn't drinkable on any level whatsoever.

Oh well, at least the Chai is good.
 
Oh well, at least the Chai is good.

I'll take my own hand-made chai, made from FTGFOP single-estate Assam, organic whole milk, fresh spices and Demerara cane sugar. It's a labor intensive process, but the results are well worth it. ;)
 
you know I can kinda see starsmucks point here. I can see several "customers" (read suckers) not wanting to be severed by him (esp the weight sensitive ones). in this case I don't think its so much free speech as the dumb ass just made himself unmarketable job wise. I would laugh at his song but as a manager to any service establishment I would not hire him. being jipped and mocked is only funny if it isn't you (for most customers at any rate)
 
It's funny, but I'm not against the company firing him. If you have bad things to say about the company you work for, you don't seem to be working in the favor of that company, that should be enough to fire them.
 
. I am a DM for Starbucks... you are either misinformed, disgruntled, or not an actual SM. This company treats its people better than 99% percent of companies out there. Perhaps you should explore DD.

Well, I should say my experience is a bit different. I am a manager for a licnesed starbucks in a store. The company itself is good to its employees and has actually listens to the employees. Our DM is known as one of the worst though and has received many complaints. My only beef is that starbucks, despite the complaints, has done nothing. The licensee side of things seems to be a ton different in how they deal with actions as opposed to a stand alone one.

My comments on the waste that they produce still stands however.

As for the guy saying comment on the probably "burnt" shots.

I've noticed, in my experience in our licensed stores that employees don't properly calibrate the machines as often as they are supposed to. Or for, say caramel macciattos they allow the shots to sit too long screwing up the shots. Its a constant battle to fix those things lol.

Sorry for the misinformation. I wish starbucks would work more closely with their licensed stores to have the same interaction you would, in say, a stand alone starbucks. It would up their reputation a lot.
 
You can't have freedom to speak only to be free from consequences of that speech.
 
Well, I should say my experience is a bit different. I am a manager for a licnesed starbucks in a store. The company itself is good to its employees and has actually listens to the employees. Our DM is known as one of the worst though and has received many complaints. My only beef is that starbucks, despite the complaints, has done nothing. The licensee side of things seems to be a ton different in how they deal with actions as opposed to a stand alone one.

My comments on the waste that they produce still stands however.

As for the guy saying comment on the probably "burnt" shots.

I've noticed, in my experience in our licensed stores that employees don't properly calibrate the machines as often as they are supposed to. Or for, say caramel macciattos they allow the shots to sit too long screwing up the shots. Its a constant battle to fix those things lol.

Sorry for the misinformation. I wish starbucks would work more closely with their licensed stores to have the same interaction you would, in say, a stand alone starbucks. It would up their reputation a lot.
I agree with a lot of what you are saying here.. I too work for a licensed store...
 
IDK, when you start insulting your firms own customer base publicly...He was obviously unhappy with the job... so he is now free to pursue other ventures.
 
Do we have any non Starbucks employees here on [H]ardForum?

Me? LOL

The only products that I have bought in a Starbucks are not coffee, and are usually a "pie" (my mother loves their Banoffee Pies) or something else made out of dough/bread.
 
I don't have a source other than my old man, but he said starbucks refused to send a shipment of coffee overseas to the troops or something along those lines. Real nice, as the person who made that decision probably never has to worry about his life or his son or daughters life or really any sort of adversity at all. Pretty sad.

Talk about hyperbole. Grow up.
 
I am a DM for Starbucks... you are either misinformed, disgruntled, or not an actual SM. This company treats its people better than 99% percent of companies out there. Perhaps you should explore DD.


Dude! What's that brown stuff on your nose?

Perhaps you might want to get out and work for a few other companies before you spew that nonsense.. Just because you started in high school, and worked yourself up to DM doesn't make your statement true.. it just shows your lack of real world working experience.

It's kind of like masturbation, you think you're the best because you're the only participant.... yea someday, you will move onto sex, but like masturbation, when you only have that one experience to compare it to, it will always seem like the best...

Or, you are from Montana, and you are just into it cuz of the sheep.... (no offense to any Montana people)
 
sorry but welcome to working with the public. The guy maybe should either grow up or not get a job involving retail sales. You deal with all sort of people. If you can't take it, change jobs...making a video on the internet for everyone to see will just get you in trouble.

It still baffles me that someone still think they can talk badly about their boss or company online or on facebook and not face repercussions later on. :rolleyes:

You can talk about freedom of speech all you want but there's also a thing called having a brain and common sense.
 
I am a DM for Starbucks... you are either misinformed, disgruntled, or not an actual SM. This company treats its people better than 99% percent of companies out there. Perhaps you should explore DD.

That's pretty typical of any reasonably sized corporation. Look, 'district managers' always think their company is great and their employees are treated like gems.

Unfortunately those individuals that believe that are woefully out of touch with their employee base. What companies typically do is compare themselves to another company and how that company treats its' employees, e.g. "we pay 40 cents more an hour than Target! They should love working here! We treat them great!"

Both management and employees, beneath the facade, need to realize that for the average employee it's a shit job at shit pay and he or she has very little chance of 'making it' in the company. Very rarely will anyone with an IQ above 100 be satisfied in such a monotonous job--it's human nature. Things go a lot easier if that is realized. Sure, it's cynical, but it's honest.
 
everyone should know to only blast your job in privacy of trusted people or complete anonymity. I dont feel sorry for anyone who doesnt and subsequently gets fired, especially for a trivial starbucks job.
 
everyone should know to only blast your job in privacy of trusted people or complete anonymity. I dont feel sorry for anyone who doesnt and subsequently gets fired, especially for a trivial starbucks job.

I agree, except that, I believe that in the current economy, with double digit unemployment rates in many areas of the US, no job is trivial imho.
 
At my job in the Houston area I just termed an employee for making a video and posting it in a video online. The video was her giving another employee a hard time over the phone. (High school BS). We did not fire her for her language but for the fact that she signed a social media policy and she violated that policy. Like the guy in the Starbucks video she was in uniform.

Most companies these days are doing things like social media contracts to protect their brand recognition.

Chances of this guy winning a lawsuit are most likely slim to none if they have a policy in place for it.

Most companies wouldn't have to worry about protecting their brand if their brand wasn't shit to begin with. Just a thought.
 
At my job in the Houston area I just termed an employee for making a video and posting it in a video online. The video was her giving another employee a hard time over the phone. (High school BS). We did not fire her for her language but for the fact that she signed a social media policy and she violated that policy. Like the guy in the Starbucks video she was in uniform.

Most companies these days are doing things like social media contracts to protect their brand recognition.

Still, this guy hit the front page on CNN for a day. The timing of the firing becomes questionable. Better to have moved him to another store in the area (less chance of running into customers who make recognize that they were being griped about), and fire him a month later 'for performance reasons' or something after everyone has forgotten who he is.

As it is, he's got a fair shot (assuming he actually knows anything about marketing, and isn't really just a disgruntled employee with a guitar) at getting the attention of a marketing firm and getting an internship (or real job) at a FAR better place to work than Starbucks.

"If you fire me now, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine..."
 
Still, this guy hit the front page on CNN for a day. The timing of the firing becomes questionable. Better to have moved him to another store in the area (less chance of running into customers who make recognize that they were being griped about), and fire him a month later 'for performance reasons' or something after everyone has forgotten who he is.

As it is, he's got a fair shot (assuming he actually knows anything about marketing, and isn't really just a disgruntled employee with a guitar) at getting the attention of a marketing firm and getting an internship (or real job) at a FAR better place to work than Starbucks.

"If you fire me now, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine..."

I doubt it. He has shown that he's a risk of bad mouthing (or worse) his employer. Good at marketing himself or not most employers will see this and raise red flags about his character as an employee.
 
Still, this guy hit the front page on CNN for a day. The timing of the firing becomes questionable. Better to have moved him to another store in the area (less chance of running into customers who make recognize that they were being griped about), and fire him a month later 'for performance reasons' or something after everyone has forgotten who he is.

As it is, he's got a fair shot (assuming he actually knows anything about marketing, and isn't really just a disgruntled employee with a guitar) at getting the attention of a marketing firm and getting an internship (or real job) at a FAR better place to work than Starbucks.

"If you fire me now, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine..."

I seriously doubt it. His video shows he's immature and doesn't respect customers. He wrote a song in an apron about a well known brand and posted it on the internet. Hardly genius. Any company with a brain and aware of what he has done will not hire him. I wouldn't. Especially with the amount of people looking for a job and that deserves it a lot more than this self centered teen.
 
I guess he got what he deserved. If he did this a bit more anonymously, just doing the song without the video, or in disguise (a dancing coffee cup?), he might still have a job. As easy as it is to anonymously post stuff, I really don't know why people don't bother.
 
If he was on the clock and actually at the Starbucks making those comments, then i'd understand the firing, but off the clock and at home, he can say what ever the hell he wants.

And even if it affects the company, well all that does is give them a chance to change the issues.

I'm not sure if that's true. An employment non-disparagement clause pretty much protect businesses from backlashes for firing people who speak of their companies in a negative light. This usually apply to senior management of companies, but I dunno about worker bees.
 
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