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Unraveling the Starbucks congressional testimonyUnraveling the Starbucks congressional testimony

Holly Petre, Assistant Digital Editor

March 31, 2023

 

Howard Schultz — current board chairman and former CEO of Starbucks — defended allegations of union-busting against the Seattle-based coffee giant during a three-hour-long U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee hearing led by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) Wednesday. Both Howard Schultz and employees of Starbucks answered questions posed by bipartisan members of the committee during the packed hearing entitled, No Company is Above the Law: The Need to End Illegal Union Busting at Starbucks.

The Senate hearing came about after weeks of negotiations between the Senate committee and Starbucks, which initially tried to send someone other than Howard Schultz, who was only interim CEO during a portion of the now 16-month-long clash with Starbucks Workers United. However, Sen. Sanders refused to accept anyone testifying other than Schultz and, under threat of subpoena, he eventually agreed to testify Wednesday.

About the Author

Holly Petre

Assistant Digital Editor

Holly Petre is a digital editor for Nation’s Restaurant News as well as the host of NRN’s podcast, Extra Serving, and producer for Informa Restaurant and Food Group’s other three podcasts, One On One by Food Management, Off the Shelf with SN and In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn. Holly holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Sculpture, fibers and Material Studies and Ceramics from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. A native New Yorker, Holly enjoys her place on staff as the resident pop-culture expert and millennial with a sassy attitude and great sense of style.

Holly Petre’s work on Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality often covers marketing and trends, either aimed-at or examined-through the millennial mindset. Holly is responsible for introducing TikTok and Twitch to NRN and RH readers as well as explaining terms like “Karen” to staff and readers alike. She also spends her time on staff trying not to make every headline a pun.

Holly Petre hasn’t spoken at any events or on panels, but she is readily available with a killer shoe wardrobe and several witty quips.

 

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