Longtime Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz faced sharp questioning Wednesday before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee as he defended the company’s actions during an ongoing unionizing campaign.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont Independent who has been a vocal supporter of Starbucks labor organizers, accused the company of stalling efforts to reach a contract with workers who first voted to unionize in late 2021. He also said federal courts and administrative judges at the National Labor Relations Board have found Starbucks guilty of firing labor organizers and illegally closing unionized stores, among other tactics.
“The fundamental issue we are confronting today is whether we have a system of justice that applies to all, or whether billionaires and large corporations can break the law with impunity,” Sanders said.
Schultz denied the company has broken the law and said Starbucks is appealing those charges. Schultz said Starbucks respects workers’ right to unionize, but believes the company already provides its workers with industry-leading wages and benefits.
He said that Starbucks’ average starting wage is $17.50, while the minimum wage in Vermont is $13.18.