Starbucks baristas win tip fight

As of this writing, San Diego Superior Court is deliberating the dollar amount of damages that coffee giant Starbucks must pay to 120,000 of its California baristas who, in a class action lawsuit, challenged its longtime policy of making workers share their tips with supervisors.

Former Starbucks barista Jou Chou originated the suit in 2004 on the basis that California labor law clearly forbids this practice, and the court ruled against Starbucks in February. Now it will decide the monetary settlement. According to Terry Chapko, one of the baristas’ lawyers, this settlement could be in the tens of millions of dollars.

There is evidence that the practice of having tip pooling include management is widespread, and the verdict in this case undoubtedly has many companies besides Starbucks worried.