44 New York City Starbucks Received a Notice of
Violation from Department of Health Over Rat or Insect
Presence

New York, NY- Fed up with Starbucks’ failure to deal
with rat and insect problems, baristas of the IWW
Starbucks Workers Union (www.starbucksunion.org) filed
a complaint with OSHA today to address the vermin at three Manhattan Starbucks.
The workers are seeking improvements in store sanitation, food
storage, and other vermin avoidance measures rather
than relying solely on periodic and ineffective
exterminator visits. The union is also releasing the
“Creepy Crawly Starbucks 44”- a list of the 44 New
York City Starbucks that were issued a Notice of
Violation in their last inspection from the NYC
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene over rodent,
cockroach, or flying insect presence.

“We’ve had it with the rats and roaches,” said IWW
member and Starbucks barista, Tomer Malchi. “As union
members we don’t play around with health and safety.
No one should have to work in these conditions.”

The OSHA complaint seeks remedial measures at the
Starbucks locations at Union Square East, 9th St. and
2nd Ave, and 57th St. and Lexington Ave. The IWW is
willing to sit down with company officials to work out
a comprehensive solution to the rat and insect
problem.

“Approximately 1 out of 5 New York City Starbucks have
been cited by the health department for mice or insect violations,” said Daniel
Gross, an IWW organizer and former Starbucks barista.
“For workers and consumers alike, those are bad odds.”

Founded in 2004, the IWW Starbucks Workers Union is an
organization of baristas united to improve wages and
working conditions at the world’s largest coffee
chain.

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Video:

WB11-  http://cw11.trb.com/

Fox 5-

 http://www.myfoxny.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=548765&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=3.2.1


bosstweed on YouTube-  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2zfphonUgA

Gawker.com on YouTube-  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0D6iCCI_x4Q

Print:

metro- Baristas Balk at roaches, rats in local Starbucks by Amy Zimmer:  http://ny.metro.us/metro/local/article/Baristas_balk_at_roaches_rats_in_local_Starbucks/3994.html

AM New York- Protesters Allege Starbucks Infestation by Justin Rocket Silverman:  http://www.amny.com/news/local/am-starb0817,0,2621284.story

NY Daily News- Starbucks Faces Buggy Rap by Paul H.B. Shin:  http://www.nydailynews.com/08-17-2006/news/local/story/444033p-373976c.html