General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsStarbucks tries to thwart Bernie Sanders' bid to subpoena Howard Schultz
WASHINGTON Starbucks is pushing back on Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee he chairs ahead of an expected vote next week to subpoena interim CEO Howard Schultz as part of an investigation into federal labor law.
Respectfully, Howard Schultz is not the right witness for the hearing, Zabrina Jenkins, the acting executive vice president and general counsel for Starbucks, wrote in the letter, which was addressed to Sanders, Ranking Member Bill Cassidy, R-La., and the rest of the HELP Committee.
Jenkins said Schultz assumed the interim ceo role nine months after the issues regarding unions arose and has been focused on the reinvention plan of Starbucks since that time, and that he will cease to be the interim ceo of the company this month.
Sanders, who built his national profile as a pro-labor populist, is trying to investigate dozens of complaints that Starbucks violated federal labor law and other accusations of unfair labor practices leveled against the company under Schultzs leadership. Starbucks has defended its actions, including filing counter complaints against the unions.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/starbucks-tries-to-thwart-bernie-sanders-bid-to-subpoena-howard-schultz/ar-AA189Y29
Howard the coward
dlk
(11,578 posts)He has better ways to spend his time
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)testimony is needed and the validity of Schultz's request to be excused as not really involved. Schultz is much high-profile nationally than other executives and involved with anti-union decisions if not the events that triggered this investigation.
Btw, the committee, with 11 Dems and 10 Repubs, is controlled by Democrats with Sanders as the chair. It's expected to be approved. As we know, congress has little to no power to actually compel compliance with their subpoenas, but just Schultz's name will help draw attention to the investigation.