Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz may soon testify before the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee over allegations of union busting at Starbucks locations.
Bernie Sanders, who chairs the committee, has moved to subpoena Schultz, and the body will vote on March 8 on whether to move forward with a summons.
Schultz and Starbucks are facing accusations from union leaders, the National Labor Relations Board and Democratic lawmakers of using illegal tactics to fight unionization efforts at its stores.
Schultz previously was called to voluntarily testify at a March 9 hearing about Starbucks’ compliance with federal labor law and its treatment of pro-union workers. The company declined and instead offered to send chief public affairs officer AJ Jones.
“He has denied meeting and document requests, skirted congressional oversight attempts, and refused to answer any of the serious questions we have asked,” Sanders said in a statement Wednesday. “Unfortunately, Mr. Schultz has given us no choice but to subpoena him.”
At the March 8 vote, the HELP Committee will also decide whether to authorize an investigation into Starbucks for “major corporations’ labor law violations,” according to Sanders’ statement
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