- China offers $325 bn in fiscal stimulus for ailing economy
- Small Quebec company dominates one part of NHL hockey: jerseys
- Boeing to cut 10% of workforce as it sees big Q3 loss
- Want to film in Paris? No sexism allowed
- US, European markets rise as investors weigh rates, earnings
- In Colombia, children trade plastic waste for school supplies
- JPMorgan Chase profits top estimates, bank sees 'resilient' US economy
- Little progress at key meet ahead of COP29 climate summit
- 'Party atmosphere': Skygazers treated to another aurora show
- Kyrgyzstan opens rare probe into glacier destruction
- European Mediterranean states discuss Middle East, migration
- Thunberg leads pro-Palestinian, climate protest in Milan
- Stock markets diverge before China weekend briefing
- EU questions shopping app Temu over illegal products risk
- Han Kang's books sell out in South Korea after Nobel win
- Shanghai markets sink ahead of briefing on mixed day for Asia
- Investors, analysts eye bigger China stimulus at Saturday briefing
- Musk unveils robotaxi, pledges it 'before 2027'
- At least 11 dead in Florida but Hurricane Milton not as bad as feared
- Asian markets mixed after Wall St drop, Shanghai dips before briefing
- Automaker Stellantis says CEO will retire in 2026
- Musk's promised robotaxi unveil delayed
- On US coast, wind power foes embrace 'Save the Whales' argument
- At least 10 dead in Florida after Hurricane Milton spawns tornadoes
- Internet Archive reels from 'catastrophic' cyberattack, data breach
- Wall Street stocks retreat from records on US inflation data
- Israel strikes central Beirut, killing 22
- Solar storm could impact US hurricane recovery efforts: agency
- Delta eyes Election Day travel pullback as profits climb
- Florida battered by hurricane, floods but spared 'worst-case scenario'
- UK's William and Kate in first joint public engagement since cancer treatment
- Over 200 women in legal talks with Harrods over Fayed abuse claims
- A very stiff breeze: BBC says sorry for 20,000 kph wind forecast
- Musk finally unveiling his long-promised robotaxi
- London's Frieze art fair goes potty for ceramics
- US, Europe stocks fall on US inflation data
- US consumer inflation eases to 2.4% in September
- Hurricane Milton tornadoes kill four in Florida amid rescue efforts
- South Korea's Han Kang wins literature Nobel
- Ikea posts fall in annual sales after lowering prices
- Stock markets diverge, oil gains after China rebounds
- World can't 'waste time' trading climate change blame: COP29 hosts
- South Korean same-sex couples make push for marriage equality
- Mumbai declares day of mourning for Indian industrialist Ratan Tata
- 7-Eleven owner restructures to fight takeover
- Sri Lanka recovering faster than expected: World Bank
- Hong Kong, Shanghai rally as most markets track Wall St record
- Uniqlo owner reports record annual earnings
- Hong Kong, Shanghai rally as markets track Wall St record
- Indonesia biomass drive threatens key forests: report
Schultz defends Starbucks' tough union stance in testy hearing
Longtime Starbucks leader Howard Schultz defended the coffee chain's confrontational approach to unionization Wednesday, while insisting it had not violated US labor law in countering the campaign.
The hearing, which got contentious at some points, was convened by progressive Vermont independent Senator Bernie Sanders, focusing on what Sanders called "illegal union busting."
In his testimony, Schultz said he understood that workers have the right to unionize. But he argued that management-led efforts to persuade employees otherwise were also protected.
"I have the right and the company has a right to have a preference, and our preference is to maintain a direct line with partners," Schultz told the panel.
The company has seen about 300 stores vote in favor of Starbucks Workers United following an initial successful campaign in Buffalo, New York in late 2021.
But the hearing featured a former Starbucks employee who testified that he was fired for union activism.
Sanders depicted the chain as an "egregious" corporate villain on labor law, pointing to numerous complaints from workers that were confirmed as labor law violations by officials at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
"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," he said.
Starbucks is fighting the complaints and challenging adverse rulings, characterizing the findings as allegations.
The ex-employee, Jaysin Saxton, a disabled veteran, described being surveilled by managers in his Augusta, Georgia store during a campaign in which workers ultimately voted to be represented by Starbucks Workers United.
"I was fired for supposedly being 'disruptive,'" said Saxton, who has filed an unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB. "I did not receive any write up or discipline -– there was no investigation."
Saxton added that he was drawn to the union to address unpredictable scheduling and to press for better pay and health benefits, noting that he was forced to sometimes turn to the veterans' health care system because of deficiencies in Starbucks' coverage.
- No labor contract yet -
Schultz, who is still on the Starbucks board after stepping down as interim CEO this month, said he was unaware of cases where workers were fired or relocated to other stores because of union activity.
"These are allegations and Starbucks has not broken the law," said Schultz.
He also said the company had not threatened activist workers with lost health benefits or surveilled them electronically, responding to questions from senators.
But Schultz acknowledged the company had left out unionized shops from a pay increase announced in May amid the burgeoning campaign, and other recently announced benefits at non-union stores such as the potential to receive customer tips digitally.
The longtime Starbucks chief said the company was committed to bargaining in good faith with unions in stores that had voted with organized labor.
But he said the process has been hindered because the company will only bargain in-person, rejecting virtual gatherings that can be taped and pose safety risks to company staff.
Schultz declined to agree to a timetable to reach contract agreements with unionized stores.
While sometimes clashing with Sanders, Schultz received a generally sympathetic response from panel Republicans led by Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, who highlighted complaints from an NLRB whistleblower that the agency had supplied union leaders with confidential information and engaged in other misconduct.
"The NLRB carries out the law and is required to protect the rights of all parties in a labor dispute," Cassidy said. "Not put their thumb on the scale in favor of unions."
C.Smith--CPN