As an organization of restaurant workers with racial justice as central part of our mission, and more than a decade of studying and advocating on issues of race, we question whether Starbucks is committed to going beyond one-off conversations to examining the systemic nature of racial inequity, including the deep occupational segregation that leaves workers of color in the industry’s lowest paid jobs. Across the restaurant industry, white workers hold the vast majority of management-level positions. This is reflected in the top executive team of Starbucks, which is just 16% people of color. A recent multi-site study conducted by ROC revealed that restaurant workers of color pay a “race tax” in the form of 56% lower earnings than white workers with the same qualifications, which amounts to a $4 wage gap between white workers and workers of color.
A recent multi-site study conducted by ROC revealed that restaurant workers of color pay a “race tax” in the form of 56% lower earnings than white workers with the same qualifications, which amounts to a $4 wage gap between white workers and workers of color.