News & Commentary March 29, 2023
https://onlabor.org/march-29-2023/
By Jacqueline Rayfield
Jacqueline Rayfield is a student at Harvard Law School.
In todays News and Commentary, Former Starbucks CEO, Howard Schultz testifies before the Senate HELP committee in a hearing led by Senator Bernie Sanders, and Kansas City Apple store organizers file charges with the NLRB claiming five organizers were fired in retaliation for their efforts to unionize.
After threat of subpoena, Howard Schultz agreed to testify before the Senate HELP committee today at 10 a.m. eastern time based on complaints of egregious and widespread misconduct and over 500 unfair labor practice charges from the NLRB. Schultz, who recently exited his role as CEO, urged the committee to question other members of the company, like the new CEO and former McKinsey and PepsiCo executive Laxman Narasimhan. The union has expressed hope that Narasimhan would chart a new path with the union. However, as a major shareholder and board member, Schultz still holds major sway over Starbucks policies.
The committee will question Schultz today about ending illegal anti-union activities and
signing fair first contracts with the unions, said Sanders. But Republicans in Congress have taken a more sympathetic view towards the former Starbucks executive. Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana said he is concerned about prejudice in CEO hearings.
FULL story at link above.