Lefty Starbucks office workers refuse to move from Seattle to new hub in deep-red Tennessee: report

Starbucks office workers are reportedly balking at orders to relocate to the company’s new $100 million Nashville hub, with some left-leaning workers repulsed by the prospect of living and working in the capital of deep-red Tennessee.The java giant has been struggling to persuade employees to move from Seattle — even after warning some they could lose their jobs if they refuse, Bloomberg News reported.The pressure has centered on Starbucks’ roughly 100-member North America sourcing team, which was told to move down south or risk losing their jobs.To sweeten the deal, the company has dangled stock grants worth tens of thousands of dollars and offered other incentives to lure workers to Nashville, according to Bloomberg.Employees were also told they would have to accept pay cuts of at least 5% due to Nashville’s lower cost of living, the report said.The company has offered to reimburse up to $2,000 in travel costs for employees to visit Nashville and “explore” the city, while dangling retention bonuses starting at around $15,000 for those who decline to move but agree to stay on through at least 2026, the report said.The Post has sought comment from Starbucks.Starbucks has long cultivated a progressive image, backing racial-equity initiatives, promoting LGBT inclusion and aligning itself with other left-leaning causes — a posture that has helped cement its reputation as a “latte liberal” brand.Last year, the company closed hundreds of stores and conducted sweeping layoffs in the wake of sales declines.Dollars and cents appeared to trump politics for Starbucks as it sought to expand its corporate footprint.Starbucks’ Nashville push is part of a broader $100 million investment that is expected to bring as many as 2,000 jobs to the city over the next five years, with a temporary office opening this spring and a permanent hub slated for 2027, according to company plans.The new office will serve as a second corporate base alongside the chain’s Seattl...