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Watch Sen. Casey corner Starbucks CEO Schultz, then expose his real feelings on union-busting [1]

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Date: 2023-04-01  

Casey began his question by reminding Schultz about Schultz’s own activities two years ago, when “Starbucks shut down all stores in the Buffalo area, rented out the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Flew you, Mr. Schultz, and Starbucks senior executives, into town and forced workers to hear you give anti-union talking points.”

Casey went on to point out that while we don’t know for sure how many millions Starbucks Coffee Company has spent on a union-busting law firm like this over the past few years, what is known for sure is that “Under current law, federal law, Internal Revenue Service law, Starbucks is able to write off those costs as a run-of-the-mill business expense—meaning taxpayers. Taxpayers are subsidizing union busting in the United States of America, including that of Starbucks.”

Having laid down the moral implications of the laws that everyone understands have been lobbied for by companies like Starbucks and subsequently exploited by Starbucks, Casey offered up a very easy-to-answer question: “So, Mr. Schultz, I'd ask you, as a private citizen, in your personal capacity, do you believe that corporations should have the right to get a tax break, a taxpayer-provided subsidization, a tax break for union-busting activities?”

Schultz attempted to expand his answer by offering up that there are lots of things “to respond to”—except, of course, the question being asked. He then tried to say Starbucks hasn’t broken the law—which, as Casey pointed out, was not the question being asked. “I didn't ask you about Starbucks. I asked you about your personal view. Yeah. Do you think that the provisions should stay or the law should be changed?”

Schultz eventually answered truthfully: He indeed supports a loophole that allows taxpayers to front the bill for companies’ anti-labor activities. Of course, Casey was forced to pry that answer out of him about three times. Then Casey asked Schultz whether or not he knows anything about complaints that Starbucks was surveilling workers and their unionization efforts. Schultz went into how proud he is of Starbucks, and Casey reminded him that that’s great and all but immaterial in regard to the question at hand.

Scultz said he was not aware of any surveillance, and admitted it would be wrong if it were true. Then he tried to get righteously indignant that he’s being painted as a union-buster, which prompted the spectators at the hearing to laugh. Schultz has earned this derision.

Enjoy.

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/4/1/2161153/-Watch-Sen-Casey-corner-Starbucks-CEO-Schultz-then-expose-his-real-feelings-on-union-busting

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