Startled by Employees’ Truck Rally
Starbucks Coffee Korea has come up with a plan to increase recruitment and change its wage system, 10 days after employees held a truck rally demanding an improvement in their working environment. The company will also operate a task force on promotional events, which sparked the rally.
Starbucks Coffee Korea announced on Oct. 17 that it will hire 1,600 new employees by the end of 2021, including those hired by region and nationwide. The coffee chain has thus far allowed each branch to hire new employees on an as-needed basis. It is the first time that the company has unveiled a plan to recruit new employees nationwide.
The company will also reform its wage system, which was one of the sources of employee complaints. The hourly wage of its baristas’is 9,200 won, and they are separately paid overtime, holiday and late-night work allowances. They are also given meals, incentives, and holiday bonuses. Yet, employees called for a rise in incentives based on service years and work ability.
According to the plan, Starbucks Coffee Korea will raise wages of store managers, and differentiate baristas’ hourly wages in consideration of their years of service and work capabilities. To this end, a talent acquisition team dedicated to hiring and an F&E team dedicated to the store environment will be established through reorganization by the end of October.
Starbucks Coffee Korea has no labor union, but the company's employees made headlines on Oct. 7 to 8 by holding a truck rally, which was the first collective action by employees in 22 years since the opening of the first Starbucks Coffee shop in Korea.