Part 6/9:
Leadership Changes and Union Resistance
The return of Howard Schultz, who stepped down as CEO in 2017, marked a pivotal moment as he took the unionization efforts personally. Instead of addressing the underlying issues, Schultz’s leadership became synonymous with resistance to unionization, closing stores that voted to unionize and facing accusations of engaging in unlawful union-busting tactics. Tensions peaked as workers felt the company was stonewalling contract negotiations.
Eventually, Schultz passed control to Laxman Narasimhan, a move that some hoped would herald a new approach to these labor disputes. As negotiations gathered momentum, workers demonstrated a sense of empowerment through union organization, but the path forward remained fraught with challenges.