Bernie Sanders grilled the former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz about the company’s illegal anti-union practices
by Amy Goodman, Democracy Now!
Just weeks after the National Labor Relations Board accused Starbucks of engaging in “egregious and widespread misconduct” to prevent employees from unionizing, the company’s longtime CEO Howard Schultz appeared before the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Wednesday to answer questions.

Committee Chair Bernie Sanders of Vermont grilled Schultz on the company’s union-busting record and demanded an end to retaliation against workers. Since 2021, nearly 300 Starbucks locations have voted to unionize, but the company has responded by firing many organizers and shuttering unionized stores, among other tactics. Schultz is worth over $3 billion and has led Starbucks for much of its history, most recently as interim CEO for the last year as a permanent replacement was found. He stepped down on March 20. We feature excerpts from the hearing.
Recent Posts
Politicians Are Betraying Gen Z On Climate
July 10, 2025
Take Action Now While Gen-Zers thrift, knit, crochet, and find other ways to reduce our footprints, Trump and the GOP are greenlighting more climate…
Trump’s Deportation Threat Against Zohran Mamdani Is Shameful
July 10, 2025
Take Action Now In only half a year of Donald Trump’s presidency, he and his allies have turned deportation into an explicitly political threat…
Teachers Union Votes To Cut Ties To The Anti-Defamation League
July 10, 2025
Take Action Now In a momentous vote, the National Education Association voted to cut all ties with the Anti-Defamation League. The reason? “Despite…
2025 War Abolisher Awards Go To Albanese, Nader, Waters
July 9, 2025
Take Action Now The purpose of the awards is to honor and encourage support for those working to abolish the institution of war itself.By World…