Starbucks has long had a reputation, fair or not, as a liberal company with progressive and even values “wake up” wisdom.. But on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, the only good friends the company and its famous founders could find to defend them against accusations of union-busting were Republicans.
Under the threat of a subpoena by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Howard Schultz, the company’s recently departed CEO, testified before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions in a hearing titled “No Corporation Above the Law: The Need to End Illegal Union Busting at Starbucks .
Sanders, the chairman of the committee, led progressive lawmakers in difficult questions about how the giant coffee chain fought the campaign of union organizations and made many accusations of violating labor laws starting in 2021. When Schultz was attacked by Democrats. Republicans are trying to throw a life raft.
Some of them insist that they’re not defending Starbucks, even though that’s what they’re supposed to be.
“I’m not here to defend Starbucks. I have my own questions about the alleged wrongdoing, and the law should be followed and upheld,” said Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), ranking member of the committee, in an opening statement. “But don’t to the point of ridicule.The hearings are just a fair and impartial process.
Cassidy said the title of the hearing amounted to “defamation,” although the administrative law judge of the National Labor Relations Board recently ruled that Starbucks has committed “egregious and widespread” labor law violations.
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said it was unusual for people of political stripes came to the aid of Schultz.
“I recognize at the outset there is some irony for non-coffee-drinking conservative Mormons defending the Democratic candidate for president in perhaps one of the most liberal companies in America,” said the Republican. (Schultz has long been rumored as a Democratic presidential candidate in past election cycles, and in 2020 he is playing as an independent.)
But Romney said it was unfair for the Democrats to bring Schultz in front of the camera.
“I also think it’s like you’re being grilled by people who don’t have a chance to do a single job,” Romney said. “But they believe they know better how to do it and what’s best for the American economy.”
“Some Republicans insist that they’re not defending the liberal Starbucks, even though it’s supposed to be that way.”
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said the hearing was unjustified, even though the NLRB’s general counsel has brought more than 80 complaints against the company alleging violations of workers’ rights.
“I don’t want to be part of any witch hunt that vilifies any American business,” Paul said said.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) said he’s not defending Starbucks either.
“I’m not trying to defend the company, because our politics are at completely different ends of the spectrum, and the irony of this kind of hearing is funny,” Mullin told Schultz.
But then Mullin said Sanders and the Democrats were unfairly attacking Starbucks and its founders.
“It seems like the union right now, all they want to do is fight with … the employer,” Mullin said. “The friction has led to an unstable and difficult workplace.”
He later said he was angry at Sanders for “showing that all CEOs are corrupt because they’re billionaires,” something Sanders has never said.
“When you get a lot of money, you get corrupt,” Mullin said, attributing that viewpoint to Sanders.
Mullin wrapped up his moment by praising Schultz for his success as an entrepreneur.
Sanders was not impressed with Mullin’s speech.
“You have made more mistakes in a short period of time than I have ever heard,” said the committee chairman.