“If you detest Starbucks that much, why don’t you go someplace else?” said interim Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, according to reports.
The alleged interaction between Schultz and Madison Hall, 25, occurred at Long Beach Airport on Friday, according to Hall.
According to pro-union news site More Perfect Union, Schultz, 68, is touring Starbucks outlets nationally to discourage workers from voting to join unions.
“With major constraints contributing to the fragmentation of our partner and customer experiences, I’ve been honest about our failures and the cause for my return — to rethink Starbucks,” Schultz told The Post.
Together, we will rebuild partner trust and belief, and provide an improved Starbucks Experience to partners and consumers, stated the interim CEO.
Union organizers have tried to interrupt the “collaboration sessions,” Schultz said, without mentioning Hall’s claims.
Hall was asked to a meeting with Schultz and around two dozen other employees from other shops in the vicinity, according to the site.
The meeting opened with a filmed statement by Schultz a week ago in which the interim CEO slammed Starbucks Workers United, the organization driving the organizing push.
He labeled the group “outsiders attempting to kidnap our people” and that they were “attacking” the coffee business.
He then arrived in person to address questions from staff. Last week, Schultz did the same with staff in Seattle and Chicago.
“The discussion focused on how we can enhance the partner experience and co-create the future of Starbucks together,” a Starbucks spokeswoman told More Perfect Union.
When Hall challenged Schultz about claims that Starbucks was terminating union-active workers, the interim CEO cut Hall off.
“Then he went on a lengthy diatribe about Starbucks’ history and his poverty,” Hall added. On July 1, 2021, Starbucks was found guilty of retaliation in Philadelphia, according to a National Labor Relations Board judgment.
“That’s when he became defensive and cut me off,’” Hall alleged. “It was awful. Then he became hostile with me.”
“And then he went on another rampage, and he told everyone else he’s sorry this was brought up, that this isn’t what [the event] was about,” Hall alleged.
