Today, Starbucks founder and former CEO Howard Shultz testified in front of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee.
He was subpoenaed to answer for his flagrant and illegal union-busting, and this a big deal because it’s the first time Congress has held a hearing on this topic in decades.
Howard Schultz isn’t only testifying on behalf of himself and Starbucks. He’s there to speak for every corporation and executive who think they can get away with breaking federal labor law because they have money and power.
Here are the top three lies Shultz told the HELP Committee:
Lie #1:“We are innocent because we have done everything to respect the law of our partners’ right to form a union.”
Seven Starbucks workers were illegally fired for organizing and were only reinstated after the National Labor Relations Board forced the company to reinstate them.
Lie #2:
“We would never take benefits away from anyone involved in joining a union.”
Starbucks has cut hours, refused salary increases and benefits, fired workers and even closed stores in response to organizers’ attempts to unionize. Workers who are organizing have been shut out of student loan repayment programs, COVID-19 benefits, health care benefits and credit card tips. Employees still don’t have access to benefits granted to nonunion partners.
Lie #3:
Starbucks management didn’t show up to the bargaining table because organizers refused to bargain in person.
The truth? Starbucks management has refused to show up to their in-person bargaining session dozens of times.
As one organizer explained, “I was at six separate bargaining tables, in person, and every single time Howard’s people walked away within minutes. Minutes.”
There’s absolutely no excuse for putting billions of dollars of profits over employees who are simply trying to come together to exercise their legal rights.
Do you agree? Stand with Starbucks baristas. Tell their new CEO to respect workers’ rights.
You can watch the video of the hearing here.
Thank you for standing with working people.
