Journalism of Courage
This is an archive article published on March 30, 2023
‘Earned it’: Starbucks former CEO Schultz defends billionaire status at US Senate
Schultz was testifying before a US Senate committee over various allegations including that the company illegally fired pro-union employees.
Starbucks founder and former CEO Howard Schultz testifies before the Senate where he faced questions about the company's actions during an ongoing campaign for an employee union, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, March 29. (AP Photo)
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‘Earned it’: Starbucks former CEO Schultz defends billionaire status at US Senate
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Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, during a hearing on Wednesday at US Senate over the coffee chain’s labour policies, said he has ‘earned’ his billionaire status and shares his earnings with employees after Senator Bernie Sanders alleged that billionaires are being treated as if they are above the law.
“The fundamental issue we are facing 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.
In response, Schultz told Sanders, “Your [billionaire] moniker constantly is unfair… I grew up in federally subsidised housing. My parents never owned a home. I came from nothing. I thought my entire life was based on the achievement of the American dream.”
“Yes, I have billions of dollars, but I earned it. No one gave it to me. And I’ve shared it constantly with the people of Starbucks.”
The former Starbucks CEO was testifying before a US Senate committee over various allegations including that the company illegally fired pro-union employees.
Starbucks shareholders on Wednesday approved a proposal for the coffee chain to conduct an independent assessment of its labour practices. The proposal won 52 per cent of the votes.
“The majority support from shareholders for our proposal reflects a growing demand for an honest accounting of the discrepancy between Starbucks’ purported values and management’s anti-union behavior,” New York City Comptroller Brad Lander said.
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Starbucks said it is now “undertaking an independent, third-party human rights impact assessment, which will include a deeper-level review of the principles of freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining.”
(With Reuters inputs)
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