Latest news with #TerryCollingsworth
New York Post
26-04-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Starbucks workers in Brazil face ‘slave-like' conditions while harvesting coffee: Lawsuit
Farm workers in Brazil claim they were subjected to 'slave-like' conditions while harvesting coffee for Starbucks, accusing the global beverage giant in a lawsuit of human trafficking, child slavery and forced labor. The group International Rights Advocates filed the class action lawsuit Thursday in Washington DC Federal Court on behalf of eight of the workers. Conditions were so bad and there was so little training on the dangerous machinery involved in coffee harvesting, at least two workers died from accidents and there were at least nine amputations, according to the group and the lawsuit. Advertisement They spent grueling hours harvesting coffee from 5 a.m. to dusk and once went 40 days without being paid, they said in the lawsuit. None were registered as employees or given contracts, they claimed. Starbucks is the largest coffee chain in the world. Getty Images They were required to pay for the harvesting machines and blowers, as well as the gas, oil and maintenance costs of the machines, leaving them trapped in debt, they said in court papers. Advertisement Those who tried to leave or report the abuses allegedly faced severe threats. 'A man arrived and threatened us with a gun, saying 'you're not going.' He took our papers and we had to stay,' one anonymous worker said in a news release from the advocacy group. 'Americans are paying $7 for a latte harvested by workers who can't even leave their jobs,' said Terry Collingsworth, International Rights Advocates founder and lead attorney for the workers. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and a court order barring Starbucks from retaliating against the workers for speaking out. Advertisement Starbucks is being sued in US court by Brazilian coffee plant workers for 'slave-like' conditions. Getty Images 'At a time when Americans are feeling the pinch of inflation, they deserve to know that corporations charging premium prices are profiting from human suffering.' Brazil is the world's leading coffee producer, supplying nearly half the world's Arabica beans, and is essential to Starbucks' supply chain. Advertisement Starbucks Workers United, the union representing Starbucks workers in the US, said 'this is yet another example of Starbucks saying one thing and doing another.' In a statement, the company said the claims were without merit and it plans to vigorously defend them. 'Starbucks has a long-standing commitment to ethical sourcing and the well-being of coffee farmers and workers,' said Michelle Burns, Executive Vice President of Global Coffee & Sustainability.
New Indian Express
25-04-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Labour group sues Starbucks, saying it ignores slave-like conditions for workers in Brazil
A labor rights group sued Starbucks on Thursday, alleging that it sourced coffee from a major cooperative in Brazil whose member farms were cited for keeping workers in slave-like conditions. International Rights Advocates filed the lawsuit in US District Court in Washington on behalf of eight Brazilian coffee farm workers. The lawsuit alleges that Starbucks violated U.S. trafficking laws by continuing to buy coffee from Cooxupe even after Brazilian authorities repeatedly cited the cooperative for trafficking and forced labor violations. The plaintiffs — who were not named in the lawsuit because International Rights Advocates said they fear retribution — allege they were lured to farms with the promise of good pay and working conditions. But instead, they were put in filthy housing and the cost of their transportation, food and equipment was deducted from their pay. 'Consumers are paying obscene amounts for a cup of Starbucks coffee that was harvested by trafficked slaves,' said International Rights Advocates founder Terry Collingsworth, who is representing the plaintiffs. 'It is time to hold Starbucks accountable for profiting from human trafficking.' Starbucks said Thursday that the lawsuit's claims are without merit. The company said it only purchases coffee from a small fraction of Cooxupe's 19,000 coffee farm members. All of Starbucks' coffee comes from farms whose labor and environmental practices meet the company's standards, it said. Starbucks said its verification program was developed by outside experts and includes regular third-party audits. 'Starbucks is committed to ethical sourcing of coffee including helping to protect the rights of people who work on the farms where we purchase coffee from,' the company said in a statement. Cooxupe said Thursday that it was not part of the lawsuit and doesn't have access to it.
San Francisco Chronicle
24-04-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Labor group sues Starbucks, saying it ignores slave-like conditions for workers in Brazil
A labor rights group sued Starbucks on Thursday, alleging that it sourced coffee from a major cooperative in Brazil whose member farms were cited for keeping workers in slave-like conditions. International Rights Advocates filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Washington on behalf of eight Brazilian coffee farm workers. The lawsuit alleges that Starbucks violated U.S. trafficking laws by continuing to buy coffee from Cooxupe even after Brazilian authorities repeatedly cited the cooperative for trafficking and forced labor violations. The plaintiffs — who were not named in the lawsuit because International Rights Advocates said they fear retribution — allege they were lured to farms with the promise of good pay and working conditions. But instead, they were put in filthy housing and the cost of their transportation, food and equipment was deducted from their pay. 'Consumers are paying obscene amounts for a cup of Starbucks coffee that was harvested by trafficked slaves,' said International Rights Advocates founder Terry Collingsworth, who is representing the plaintiffs. "It is time to hold Starbucks accountable for profiting from human trafficking.' Starbucks said Thursday that the lawsuit's claims are without merit. The company said it only purchases coffee from a small fraction of Cooxupe's 19,000 coffee farm members. All of Starbucks' coffee comes from farms whose labor and environmental practices meet the company's standards, it said. Starbucks said its verification program was developed by outside experts and includes regular third-party audits. 'Starbucks is committed to ethical sourcing of coffee including helping to protect the rights of people who work on the farms where we purchase coffee from,' the company said in a statement. ___ Associated Press Writer Mauricio Savarese in Sao Paulo contributed.
Winnipeg Free Press
24-04-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Labor group sues Starbucks, saying it ignores slave-like conditions for workers in Brazil
A labor rights group sued Starbucks on Thursday, alleging that it sourced coffee from a major cooperative in Brazil whose member farms were cited for keeping workers in slave-like conditions. International Rights Advocates filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Washington on behalf of eight Brazilian coffee farm workers. The lawsuit alleges that Starbucks violated U.S. trafficking laws by continuing to buy coffee from Cooxupe even after Brazilian authorities repeatedly cited the cooperative for trafficking and forced labor violations. The plaintiffs — who were not named in the lawsuit because International Rights Advocates said they fear retribution — allege they were lured to farms with the promise of good pay and working conditions. But instead, they were put in filthy housing and the cost of their transportation, food and equipment was deducted from their pay. 'Consumers are paying obscene amounts for a cup of Starbucks coffee that was harvested by trafficked slaves,' said International Rights Advocates founder Terry Collingsworth, who is representing the plaintiffs. 'It is time to hold Starbucks accountable for profiting from human trafficking.' Starbucks said Thursday that the lawsuit's claims are without merit. During Elections Get campaign news, insight, analysis and commentary delivered to your inbox during Canada's 2025 election. The company said it only purchases coffee from a small fraction of Cooxupe's 19,000 coffee farm members. All of Starbucks' coffee comes from farms whose labor and environmental practices meet the company's standards, it said. Starbucks said its verification program was developed by outside experts and includes regular third-party audits. 'Starbucks is committed to ethical sourcing of coffee including helping to protect the rights of people who work on the farms where we purchase coffee from,' the company said in a statement. Cooxupe said Thursday that it was not part of the lawsuit and doesn't have access to it. ___ Associated Press Writer Mauricio Savarese in Sao Paulo contributed.
The Independent
24-04-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Labor group sues Starbucks, saying it ignores slave-like conditions for workers in Brazil
A labor rights group sued Starbucks on Thursday, alleging that it sourced coffee from a major cooperative in Brazil whose member farms were cited for keeping workers in slave-like conditions. International Rights Advocates filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Washington on behalf of eight Brazilian coffee farm workers. The lawsuit alleges that Starbucks violated U.S. trafficking laws by continuing to buy coffee from Cooxupe even after Brazilian authorities repeatedly cited the cooperative for trafficking and forced labor violations. The plaintiffs — who were not named in the lawsuit because International Rights Advocates said they fear retribution — allege they were lured to farms with the promise of good pay and working conditions. But instead, they were put in filthy housing and the cost of their transportation, food and equipment was deducted from their pay. ' Consumers are paying obscene amounts for a cup of Starbucks coffee that was harvested by trafficked slaves,' said International Rights Advocates founder Terry Collingsworth, who is representing the plaintiffs. "It is time to hold Starbucks accountable for profiting from human trafficking.' Starbucks said Thursday that the lawsuit's claims are without merit. The company said it only purchases coffee from a small fraction of Cooxupe's 19,000 coffee farm members. All of Starbucks' coffee comes from farms whose labor and environmental practices meet the company's standards, it said. Starbucks said its verification program was developed by outside experts and includes regular third-party audits. 'Starbucks is committed to ethical sourcing of coffee including helping to protect the rights of people who work on the farms where we purchase coffee from,' the company said in a statement. Cooxupe said Thursday that it was not part of the lawsuit and doesn't have access to it. ___
