Saturday, June 17, 2006

Clog a Court, Not Your Arteries!


Food and beverage franchises with deep pockets and high profiles: Mind my diet, or the Center for Science in the Public Interest will mind it for me in court! Or at least the court of public opinion, where we all can learn--at last--the truth about dairy-rich drinks and fast-food fried chicken being (gasp!) fatty.

From the article:

"[The Center] has support in the campaign from the small IWW Starbucks Workers Union, which has members in three stores, all in New York. They would like Starbucks to list nutrition information -- which is currently available online and in store brochures -- on its menu boards.

'Customers can ask for nutrition information, but when you're talking about a transparent business in a busy world, that's not enough,' union organizer and Starbucks 'barista' staff member Daniel Gross said in an interview.

He said the company should use healthier shortenings without trans fat, and publicize its smallest size, 'short,' which is available but does not appear on the menu.

The union contends that Starbucks staff gain weight when they work at the chain. They are offered unlimited beverages and leftover pastries for free during their shifts."

Me, I'm more worried about the health of organized labor and the PIRGs. Yeah, it's tough standing on the shoulders of Nader and Chavez, but when the fight's for freedom from trans fat in the workplace, maybe the fight's over.

1 comment:

The Unknown Blogger said...

The good news is my drink, the skinny chai, is fat free, 'cause that's how I roll. I guess my arteries are ok, but no class action kickbacks for me. Stupid "health awareness" just cost me 67 cents.

And all the free food and drinks employees want...at Starbucks? This is a killer value. Or should I say "killer" value.

For me, the only union I've ever wanted was the "Union of the Snake."