Shrapnel

Cintas to Starbucks: 'Wake up and smell ...'

It was a quiet, sunny Thursday afternoon in Las Vegas. On the northwest corner of Rancho and Charleston, people sipped their overpriced corporate coffee and chatted outside the Starbucks at the end of the Smith's strip mall. Suddenly, an angry crowd could be heard down the sidewalk. They chanted in Spanish and English. They shook aluminum cans taped closed with beans inside them. And they confidently halted at the segment of sidewalk adjacent to the otherwise peaceful coffeehouse.

"Shame on Starbucks!" the crowd of about 25 yelled. "No justice, no peace!" "Workers united will never be defeated!"

The demonstration was organized and executed by the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees (UNITE!). The union has been involved in a battle with Cintas, North America's largest uniform rental and laundering company, since January, after receiving several pleas from Cintas' workers.

UNITE! is trying to unionize Cintas employees, a majority of whom are Hispanic women. Cintas has resisted the unionizing efforts: Allegedly firing people for trying to start a union, telling workers they can't distribute union material, showing anti-union videos, and more. In February, UNITE! filed more than 40 lawsuits against Cintas for racial, sexual, age and disability discrimination on behalf of Cintas workers.

Cintas' vice president of treasury Karen Carnahan said most of those lawsuits have been withdrawn or dismissed. She said the suits and protests are part of a "smear campaign" against the uniform company.

"It's an ongoing union campaign tactic," said Carnahan.

Starbucks recently penned a five-year contract with Cintas for apron, mat and linen service. Since Starbucks Corporation's mission statement calls for employees to "treat each other with respect and dignity," and since the coffee company has a socially responsible reputation, UNITE! would like it to lean on Cintas a little.

"Starbucks always says they respect workers' rights," said UNITE! District Manager Mauricio Vasquez. "UNITE! is now giving the company the chance to prove it."

The union shouldn't expect immediate action, though. Right now, Starbucks has a not-our-problem attitude toward the situation.

"Starbucks Coffee Company is aware of an alleged dispute between Cintas, its employees and UNITE!" the company said in a release. "It is Starbucks' policy not to provide comment on or speculate about disputes between and among other entities."

--Megan Capehart

meganc@lvpress.com