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Starbucks’ former CEO Howard Schultz will face off with one of his fiercest critics on Wednesday before a Senate committee that has accused the coffee chain of running “the most significant union-busting campaign in modern history”.
The hearing, “No Company is Above the Law: The Need to End Illegal Union Busting at Starbucks,” is being chaired by Senator Bernie Sanders, a longtime critic of Starbucks’ anti-union activities.
Starbucks had initially resisted calls for Schultz to appear. He agreed after the committee threatened to subpoena him. Before the hearing, Sanders released a report by the committee’s majority staff outlining Starbucks’ record of unfair labor practice charges.
The report found Starbucks broke the law 130 times in six states and is facing an additional 70 cases. Misconduct ranged from firing workers in retaliation for union organizing to shutting down stores, withholding pay and benefits, and comments made by Schultz himself.
“There is mounting evidence that the $113bn company’s anti-union efforts include a pattern of flagrant violations of federal labor law,” the report claims. “Starbucks has engaged in the most significant union-busting campaign in modern history. It has been led by Howard Schultz.”
Nearly 300 Starbucks stores around the US have won union elections since the first Starbucks stores unionized in December 2021, though the rate of election filings slowed after an initial surge. Since that time, Starbucks has fought hard to stop the unionization drive and faces more unfair labor practice allegations than any other private employer in the US.
Naomi Martinez, a shift supervisor at a unionized Starbucks in Phoenix, Arizona, said she wanted to hear Schultz publicly explain Starbucks’ response to the union campaign and the numerous labor law violations that the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and judges have affirmed in complaints and rulings.
“I always see the company state that they are continuing to respect the law, respect legal processes, respect the rights to organize, and we see a different story on the worker side of things,” said Martinez.
“I just want to hear from Howard’s mouth himself whether or not he thinks that Starbucks has continuously, really respected rights to organize, fully adhering to the law at every turn. Every time that they have their spokespeople say something like that it really is just, to me at least, a slap in the face, because they are abusing these legal processes at every turn.”
Starbucks has denied all allegations of labor law violations and appealed all NLRB rulings and court rulings against the company.
Bernie Sanders pressed Howard Schultz to answer a series of questions about his direct role in union-busting efforts that federal judges and the NLRB ruled were illegal. Schultz repeatedly refused to answer yes or no. pic.twitter.com/pO70XyuJeA
Must be the results of the rampant greed as the Golden Parachute is now considered to cheap to used anymore so its now a platinum parachute. Palladium is next on the precious metal scale
NEW: @elonmusk’s Twitter widens its censorship of Modi’s critics, and even took down the account of a leading leftist Canadian politician https://t.co/qegTrfzEnU by me and @mazmhussain
I’ve been reading about yahoo Modi for quite awhile. Typical Fundie totalitarian ahole leader only he’s Hindu. That’s why I turned off on Tulsi Gabbard years ago when I read she was a big Modi fan. Puke on her and any organized religious fundie! She’s still infesting Peoples Party gatherings. 🙁
Fired Starbucks worker Sam Amato, who the NLRB ruled must be reinstated to the job he had for 13 years, reacts to Howard Schultz’s testimony. pic.twitter.com/gsi84KQZk3
I was wondering why the mouse was so quiet during this, DeFascist got the “please proceed” moment from the mouse. And i’m no fan of Craprate America.
Power play: Disney handicapped new Reedy Creek board before handing over control
Nick Papantonis Wed, March 29, 2023 at 3:23 PM CDT In their final days of controlling the Reedy Creek improvement district’s board, Disney executives and attorneys found a way to poison the authority of the incoming members appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and effectively oversee the area’s development.
On Feb. 8, 2023, as the Florida House was passing legislation to give DeSantis his new power, Reedy Creek’s board members signed a development agreement with the company that allowed Disney maximum developmental power over its territory for the next 30 years.
According to the new board members, who are now known as the Central Florida Tourism Oversight board, and their attorneys, Disney is allowed the maximum possible density and building heights inside Walt Disney World. Other property owners will need Disney’s permission to expand within the district, and they and Reedy Creek leaders will need to seek Disney’s approval if they made any aesthetic changes to their properties within the district.
The district is also not allowed to permit advertisements of any companies that compete with ones that operate within Reedy Creek, board members said.
“We lose control over everything other than to maintain the roads and maintain the infrastructure,” one board member said.
Board members said they found out about the agreement after their appointments.
Both they and their newly appointed attorneys called the agreement various synonyms of insane and extreme, and said its sheer scale should make it null and void.
Particular focus was paid to one section that board members said locked in development rights of a particular parcel until 21 years after the death of the youngest current descendant of King Charles, or until Disney abandons the resort.
“We gave governmental control to Disney,” Brian Aungst summarized.
Other board members were harsher in their assessment.
“Disney tried to be king for a day,” Chairman Martin Garcia said, referencing the company’s most famous park.
Board members hired multiple politically-connected law firms to represent them and analyze the agreement, and discussed bringing on as many as four different firms to battle the deep-pocketed company as they attempted to unwind it. Garcia referenced taking it all the way to the United States Supreme Court if necessary.
Some board members said they hoped Disney executives and attorneys would be willing to come to the table and reach a compromise agreement before any legal steps were taken, though others weren’t as optimistic
Disney’s communications team did not answer multiple questions sent to them about whether they’d compromise or fight, and whether this was the reason the company chose to hand over control of Reedy Creek without a fight. However, they did email a requested statement summarizing their position:
“All agreements signed between Disney and the District were appropriate, and were discussed and approved in open, noticed public forums in compliance with Florida’s Government in the Sunshine law,” a spokesperson said.
WFTV worked with an independent attorney who specializes in government law to analyze the agreement Wednesday morning. Upon initial review, the attorney said the agreement appeared to be valid.
“I’m struggling to find a reason why it’s unlawful,” the attorney said, noting the type of agreement struck was normal between large developers and governments, it was properly noticed and Reedy Creek’s leadership willingly entered into it.
The unusual part, the attorney said, was the powers the agreement locked in. However, the attorney noted nothing about the existing structure of Reedy Creek was normal and, in that context, the agreement made sense.
They also said Reedy Creek and Florida lawmakers could run into constitutional issues if they tried to undo the agreement since governments can’t impair existing contracts.
The attorney cautioned they could not predict a judge’s interpretation of the law but said the agreement would likely be fought in federal courts, which would be viewed as friendlier to Disney than the DeSantis-influenced Florida justice system.
Despite setting the initial stages of a legal battle, some Reedy Creek board members said their focus was on upholding democracy and the will of the voters, not fighting Disney.
“We’re not taking an adversarial position to Disney,” Aungst said. “We are defending ourselves and we’re defending the people, and we’re going to be prepared for what the next steps are. My hope is that those next steps are collaborative.”
WFTV contacted DeSantis’ office to ask if his team was aware of the Feb. 8 agreement before the appointments were made.
A senior staff member in the governor’s office said they were not aware of this agreement until Reedy Creek’s lawyers recently notified them of their findings, and the office views the agreement as legally void.
They said they had been somewhat caught off-guard by Disney’s willingness to comply with handing the district over, and they weren’t surprised the company had made a move under the radar.
They added taxpayer money would not be used in this battle, as the district is funded by taxes Disney and other companies in the district pay.
Taryn Fenske, communications director for the Office of Governor DeSantis, released the following statement:
“The Executive Office of the Governor is aware of Disney’s last-ditch efforts to execute contracts just before ratifying the new law that transfers rights and authorities from the former Reedy Creek Improvement District to Disney. An initial review suggests these agreements may have significant legal infirmities that would render the contracts void as a matter of law. We are pleased the new Governor-appointed board retained multiple financial and legal firms to conduct audits and investigate Disney’s past behavior.”
The GQP will fight with all they have if the kid is in the womb, but after birth its good luck out their as its a dangerous world and we wont lift a finger to help you be safe.
Well I guess March is going out like a lamb here but a lamb that definitely needs her wool. It’s sunny but the high is only in the low 40s and down to the mid 20s tonight.
73 right now down here. Low 80s today, and dry. We need rain as brush fires are starting to break out in the rural areas (still a few left). Climate change is following precisely what climate science warned about decades ago. 🙁
Conservative commentators and Republican politicians unleashed a new wave of anti-trans rhetoric following Monday’s shooting at a Nashville Christian school that killed six people, escalating a broader backlash to the rising visibility of transgender people in public life.
The attempts on the right to connect violence to transgender people come even though transgender people are rarely the perpetrators of mass shootings, which are overwhelmingly carried out by cisgender men, according to criminal justice experts. And trans people are more likely to be victims of violence than cisgender people, multiple studies have shown.
In Nashville, the shooter’s gender identity and motive remain unclear: police initially said the shooter Audrey Hale was a 28-year-old woman, and then later said Hale was transgender, citing a social media profile in which Hale used masculine pronouns. The Post has not yet confirmed how Hale identified.
The data is clear: There is no ‘clear epidemic’ of transgender mass shooters
Nevertheless, Fox News host Tucker Carlson featured a photo of the shooter superimposed with the words “Trans Killer” on his Tuesday show. The chyron read: “We are witnessing the rise of trans violence.”
wpDiscuz
https://amp.theguardian.com/business/2023/mar/29/starbucks-howard-schultz-faces-bernie-sanders-at-union-busting-hearing
When Starbucks first started, they were reportedly employee-friendly. Not sure how much of that was PR BS, but greed sure rules the day now.
A classic here is what i said to our workers, and here is what i actually did. Straight out of the anti union play book..
Didn’t Schultz just leave the company with a platinum parachute (of course)?
Must be the results of the rampant greed as the Golden Parachute is now considered to cheap to used anymore so its now a platinum parachute. Palladium is next on the precious metal scale
I’ve been reading about yahoo Modi for quite awhile. Typical Fundie totalitarian ahole leader only he’s Hindu. That’s why I turned off on Tulsi Gabbard years ago when I read she was a big Modi fan. Puke on her and any organized religious fundie! She’s still infesting Peoples Party gatherings. 🙁
I’m surprised she’s still showing up to those.
Who knows what goes on in her brain? She still works for POX Propaganda TV, too.
Pretty sure she works for POX Snooz.
Can’t wait until Governor Goon gets his butt handed to him nationally. I will have a much-needed big hee-haw over it! 🙂
I know you will as i did when Walker got beat
T and R x 2, jcb!! 🙂
I’m wondering why no one brought up that Schultz was being considered for the Labor post by the baroness.
Ed Markey was BRILLIANT!!! Thank you Senator.
Very pro Bernie diary at DK
https://m.dailykos.com/stories/2023/3/29/2160910/-Howard-Schultz-really-didn-t-want-to-answer-Bernie-Sanders-questions-about-Starbucks-union-busting#comment_85869138
How’ed that happen over there?
It’s still moderately hostile to Bernie. Check out this POS diary written by a Hilbot that got over 700 tips and was on the wreck list for 3 days.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/3/20/2159214/-No-more-Ben-Jerry-s-founder-comes-out-as-tankie
Luckily, a Berniecrat responded with this diary: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/3/26/2160337/-How-will-readers-respond-to-a-diary-which-does-NOT-denigrate-Ben-Cohen-or-Bernie-Sanders
I wander over there rarely, but only cos vetwife still posts. I’ve always liked and respected her. I really barely recognize the site now.
Vetwife held a fundraiser for a progressive last weekend who got the Long Covid and was practically homeless. So Vetwife continues to be amazing.
I just got back from a jaunt to TOP. I couldn’t find vetwife’s diary, but MB had a decent one up about bison.
Vetwife’s helping hands diary was last weekend.
I was wondering why the mouse was so quiet during this, DeFascist got the “please proceed” moment from the mouse. And i’m no fan of Craprate America.
Power play: Disney handicapped new Reedy Creek board before handing over control
Nick Papantonis
Wed, March 29, 2023 at 3:23 PM CDT
In their final days of controlling the Reedy Creek improvement district’s board, Disney executives and attorneys found a way to poison the authority of the incoming members appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and effectively oversee the area’s development.
On Feb. 8, 2023, as the Florida House was passing legislation to give DeSantis his new power, Reedy Creek’s board members signed a development agreement with the company that allowed Disney maximum developmental power over its territory for the next 30 years.
According to the new board members, who are now known as the Central Florida Tourism Oversight board, and their attorneys, Disney is allowed the maximum possible density and building heights inside Walt Disney World. Other property owners will need Disney’s permission to expand within the district, and they and Reedy Creek leaders will need to seek Disney’s approval if they made any aesthetic changes to their properties within the district.
The district is also not allowed to permit advertisements of any companies that compete with ones that operate within Reedy Creek, board members said.
“We lose control over everything other than to maintain the roads and maintain the infrastructure,” one board member said.
Board members said they found out about the agreement after their appointments.
Both they and their newly appointed attorneys called the agreement various synonyms of insane and extreme, and said its sheer scale should make it null and void.
“We gave governmental control to Disney,” Brian Aungst summarized.
Other board members were harsher in their assessment.
“Disney tried to be king for a day,” Chairman Martin Garcia said, referencing the company’s most famous park.
Board members hired multiple politically-connected law firms to represent them and analyze the agreement, and discussed bringing on as many as four different firms to battle the deep-pocketed company as they attempted to unwind it. Garcia referenced taking it all the way to the United States Supreme Court if necessary.
Some board members said they hoped Disney executives and attorneys would be willing to come to the table and reach a compromise agreement before any legal steps were taken, though others weren’t as optimistic
Disney’s communications team did not answer multiple questions sent to them about whether they’d compromise or fight, and whether this was the reason the company chose to hand over control of Reedy Creek without a fight. However, they did email a requested statement summarizing their position:
“All agreements signed between Disney and the District were appropriate, and were discussed and approved in open, noticed public forums in compliance with Florida’s Government in the Sunshine law,” a spokesperson said.
WFTV worked with an independent attorney who specializes in government law to analyze the agreement Wednesday morning. Upon initial review, the attorney said the agreement appeared to be valid.
“I’m struggling to find a reason why it’s unlawful,” the attorney said, noting the type of agreement struck was normal between large developers and governments, it was properly noticed and Reedy Creek’s leadership willingly entered into it.
The unusual part, the attorney said, was the powers the agreement locked in. However, the attorney noted nothing about the existing structure of Reedy Creek was normal and, in that context, the agreement made sense.
They also said Reedy Creek and Florida lawmakers could run into constitutional issues if they tried to undo the agreement since governments can’t impair existing contracts.
The attorney cautioned they could not predict a judge’s interpretation of the law but said the agreement would likely be fought in federal courts, which would be viewed as friendlier to Disney than the DeSantis-influenced Florida justice system.
Despite setting the initial stages of a legal battle, some Reedy Creek board members said their focus was on upholding democracy and the will of the voters, not fighting Disney.
“We’re not taking an adversarial position to Disney,” Aungst said. “We are defending ourselves and we’re defending the people, and we’re going to be prepared for what the next steps are. My hope is that those next steps are collaborative.”
WFTV contacted DeSantis’ office to ask if his team was aware of the Feb. 8 agreement before the appointments were made.
A senior staff member in the governor’s office said they were not aware of this agreement until Reedy Creek’s lawyers recently notified them of their findings, and the office views the agreement as legally void.
They said they had been somewhat caught off-guard by Disney’s willingness to comply with handing the district over, and they weren’t surprised the company had made a move under the radar.
They added taxpayer money would not be used in this battle, as the district is funded by taxes Disney and other companies in the district pay.
Taryn Fenske, communications director for the Office of Governor DeSantis, released the following statement:
“The Executive Office of the Governor is aware of Disney’s last-ditch efforts to execute contracts just before ratifying the new law that transfers rights and authorities from the former Reedy Creek Improvement District to Disney. An initial review suggests these agreements may have significant legal infirmities that would render the contracts void as a matter of law. We are pleased the new Governor-appointed board retained multiple financial and legal firms to conduct audits and investigate Disney’s past behavior.”
Basically DeFascist was playing checkers and the mouse was playing 3D chess, Disney has deeper pockets than Defascist’s Fla.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/power-play-disney-handicapped-reedy-181501620.html
“We lose control over everything other than to maintain the roads and maintain the infrastructure,” one board member said.
The mouse better keep an eye on this phrase as when has the GQP actually taken a lead on infrastructure and roads?
Offered w/o comment.
The GQP will fight with all they have if the kid is in the womb, but after birth its good luck out their as its a dangerous world and we wont lift a finger to help you be safe.
Evidently one of the TPW’s lurkers didn’t like the cartoon. I got a down grade from a visitor.
Too bad the down voter didnt support their postion. The toon is true and represents how were de-evolving.
We’re a very small site but TPW is around 8 years old now. We attract eyeballs. 🙂👀
Tell it, Rep Bowman!
This is who Bowman is arguing with
👏👏👏👍
If only if they could turn out the vote like this rally!
We’ll find out soon.
Well I guess March is going out like a lamb here but a lamb that definitely needs her wool. It’s sunny but the high is only in the low 40s and down to the mid 20s tonight.
We are expected to go out like a lion cub tomorrow.
I might add I miss seeing @Polarbear4 when I look at that photo.
Yeah tomorrow is going to be chilly and eventually rainy here so I guess it’s in the lion cub territory (or very wooly lamb) also.
73 right now down here. Low 80s today, and dry. We need rain as brush fires are starting to break out in the rural areas (still a few left). Climate change is following precisely what climate science warned about decades ago. 🙁
I miss pb4, too, Ms. Benny.
Nashville shooting exploited by right to escalate anti-trans rhetoric
POX Prop(aganda) to the ‘rescue.’
The GQP should ditch the Elephant as their logo, this more accurate for their views on guns
Man, if THAT isn’t the sad truth. 🙁