After a significant majority of unionized Starbucks workers voted to authorize a nationwide strike, Senator Bernie Sanders, Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, led a group of 25 senators in sending a letter to Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol. The letter urges the company to end its alleged anti-union activities and negotiate a contract with its employees. The Starbucks Workers United union currently represents more than 12,000 workers at approximately 550 stores across the country.
The letter was also signed by Senators Angela Alsobrooks, Tammy Baldwin, Michael Bennet, Richard Blumenthal, Cory Booker, Tammy Duckworth, Ruben Gallego, Kirsten Gillibrand, Martin Heinrich, John Hickenlooper, Mazie Hirono, Amy Klobuchar, Ed Markey, Jeff Merkley, Chris Murphy, Alex Padilla, Brian Schatz, Adam Schiff, Chuck Schumer, Elissa Slotkin, Tina Smith, Chris Van Hollen, Elizabeth Warren, Peter Welch and Ron Wyden.
“We are writing to express concern regarding Starbucks’ failure to reach a fair first contract with its baristas. Additionally we have heard of a troubling return to union busting which has impeded the ability of Starbucks workers—many of whom are our constituents—to exercise their statutory and constitutional right to organize,” wrote Sanders and his colleagues.
According to the senators' statement in the letter and recent developments since organizing efforts began at Starbucks locations nationwide: the company has been found guilty of over 500 labor law violations and faces 125 new allegations of union-busting so far this year.
Progress had previously been made last year between Starbucks management and employees on tentative agreements covering issues like health and safety as well as protections against unfair discipline or termination. However negotiations stalled after Brian Niccol assumed leadership as CEO in September 2024.
“We are troubled by reports that since you started your role as CEO in September 2024 the company has failed to put forward a serious economic proposal backtracking on the previously agreed-upon path forward,” Sanders continued. “As you well know Starbucks is not a poor company. Last year Starbucks made over $3.6 billion in profit and paid out nearly $5 billion in stock buybacks and dividends. In fact in the first 3 quarters of the year Starbucks made $1.7 billion in profit and paid out over $2 billion in dividends. Last year you made $95 million in compensation for the four months you worked in 2024 roughly 6\,666 times more than what your average worker was paid for the entire year.”
The senators pointed out that while profits for executives and shareholders remain high at Starbucks—last year’s earnings exceeded $3.6 billion with billions distributed through stock buybacks—the company continues not to provide what they describe as living wages or predictable scheduling for its workforce. The cost associated with meeting these demands would reportedly be less than one day’s worth of average sales revenue for Starbucks.
Starbucks is also reported by lawmakers to have refused resolution on more than 700 charges related to union-busting activity while implementing restructuring plans that include store closures and staff layoffs.
“It is clear that Starbucks has the money to reach a fair agreement with its workers,” Sanders concluded. “Starbucks must reverse course from its current posture resolve its existing labor disputes\, and bargain a fair contract in good faith with these employees.”
