When Starbucks’ founder and three-time CEO Howard Schultz spoke before the U.S. Senate in March to address allegations that his company was engaging in egregious union-busting, he seemed almost hurt by the behavior of his employees. How could these workers be unhappy and organizing when the coffee-store chain had long lavished them with perks like college tuition assistance and comparatively generous health care coverage? “Is there a union that you’re aware of that has those benefits, sir?” Schultz pointedly asked one senator.
It turns out that for many Starbucks “partners,” as the company calls its employees, tuition help at an online university wasn’t that crucial. They’ve proven to be far more interested in prosaic matters such as flexible scheduling, work conditions, and more predictable hours—the kinds of issues that have a much greater short-term impact on their income and quality of life.
