Baristas at St. Louis Starbucks Told to Remove Palestinian Flag Pins
The pins, which violated Starbucks’ dress code, were worn for several months by members of the Starbucks Workers United union.
Baristas at a St. Louis Starbucks wore Palestinian flag pins on their aprons for several months before corporate leadership stepped in last week to end the practice, After October 7 has learned.
The pins, which violated Starbucks’ dress code, were worn daily since at least May by members of the Starbucks Workers United union at the coffee shop at 1500 S. Lindbergh Blvd., across the street from the Plaza Frontenac shopping mall.
Starbucks workers are not allowed to wear buttons or pins that advocate for a political, religious, or personal issue, according to corporate policy.
Several members of St. Louis’ Jewish community said they complained to store management about workers flouting Starbucks’ policy as early as May, but the rule about political pins was not enforced until they launched an email campaign last week calling for their removal.
The workers have since been informed they can’t wear the Palestinian flag pins at work.
“As of today the pins are gone, they should be gone forever,” an insider with knowledge of the situation said on July 17. “They [the baristas] do understand now that yes, they are allowed to wear a Workers United pin because the store is unionized. But the addition of the Palestinian flag does become a political statement, which is against the dress code.”
A Starbucks worker wearing the Palestinian flag pin, among others, was photographed by a customer at the St. Louis store on July 12.
The pins, which feature the colors of the Palestinian flag, upset some customers at the store. Several spoke to After October 7 on the condition their names not be used.
“I was really shocked for a second when I saw the pin,” said one customer, who noticed the flag colors as he was picking up a to-go order on July 12. “I've always seen the Starbucks Workers United pins and that’s never bothered me in any way, but seeing them with Palestinian flags really took me aback.”
The customer said he asked to speak with the store’s shift manager, who told him political pins are not allowed to be worn by Starbucks workers. He said he pointed out a barista wearing the pin, and asked the manager to enforce the policy.
“She said, ‘Okay, I'll address it,’” the man said.
When the customer tried to continue the conversation, he said the manager asked him to leave.
“I think corporate needs to do a better job of educating [Starbucks] managers about this, and let them know this specific pin is not approved,” the customer said.
The Starbucks at 1500 S. Lindbergh Blvd. in St. Louis, where workers were seen wearing Palestinian flag pins until this week.
In response to questions about baristas wearing Palestinian flag pins at the St. Louis store, Starbucks issued a statement saying it “take[s] pride in creating a warm and welcoming environment for both partners and customers.”
“We respect the diverse perspectives, opinions, and beliefs of our partners, while also adhering to the policies and practices that uphold our brand,” the statement reads.
Starbucks has also been reaching out to customers who complained about the pins in emails to District Manager Meredith Chasteen.
“We take this situation very seriously,” Chasteen said in an email response to one customer.
This pin being worn by some members of Starbucks Workers United violates Starbucks’ corporate dress code.
Starbucks Workers United has been a vocal critic of Israel; Two days after the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attacks on the country killed some 1,200 people, the union posted a statement on social media with an image of a bulldozer tearing down a part of the Israel and Gaza border, “reflecting their support for violence perpetrated by Hamas,” Starbucks said in a written announcement at the time.
“Unfortunately, as violence against the innocent in the region continues to escalate, some people are mistakenly tying these remarks to us, because Workers United and its affiliates and members continue to use our name, logo and intellectual property,” the announcement said.
Social media posts by the union’s branches and members have also expressed condemnation of Israel, as well as criticism of police for arresting some anti-Israel protesters on U.S. college campuses.
Starbucks is suing the union for trademark infringement in federal court, demanding it stop using the name “Starbucks Workers United,” as well as an alleged knock-off of the Starbucks logo. The union has countered with its own lawsuit seeking legal permission for use of Starbucks’ name and the similar logo.
The union has also claimed Starbucks defamed its organization by implying it supports terrorism.