By David Shepardson and Hilary Russ

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) -Starbucks’ former Chief Govt Howard Schultz defended himself and the espresso chain in opposition to allegations of “union busting” at a U.S. Senate committee listening to in Washington on Wednesday.

The Seattle-based firm has beforehand denied allegations that it illegally fired pro-union baristas or spied on staff as tons of of U.S. shops organized unions beginning in late 2021.

It additionally says it didn’t violate federal labor legislation by providing some new advantages – together with increased wages, scholar mortgage compensation instruments, and a financial savings account program – solely to non-unionized shops, because the Nationwide Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has alleged.

Senator Bernie Sanders, chair of the Senate Well being, Training, Labor, and Pensions Committee, advised Schultz that “Starbucks (NASDAQ:) has waged probably the most aggressive and unlawful union busting marketing campaign within the fashionable historical past of our nation.”

“These are allegations and Starbucks has not damaged the legislation,” Schultz advised Sanders throughout the listening to.

Starbucks’ shares closed up 1.93% at $100.62 as restaurant shares ended broadly increased. Analysts at two Wall Avenue corporations, TD Cowen and BTIG, reiterated their excessive scores for the corporate and stated respectively that the listening to was a “non-event” and “achieved little.”

Schultz, who left his third stint as CEO on March 20, stated he didn’t have any direct position in firing staff who supported the union or closing unionized shops. He stays on the corporate’s board.

His return to Starbucks as its interim chief in April 2022 was “95% centered on the operations of the enterprise” and his involvement within the firm’s union technique has been “de minimis,” Schultz stated.

Republicans defended Schultz, praising the corporate’s aggressive wages, well being advantages, worker inventory buy program and different advantages.

Republican Senator Mitt Romney famous “some irony to a non-coffee-drinking Mormon conservative defending a Democrat candidate for president in maybe some of the liberal corporations in America.”

Different senators questioned why it was taking so lengthy for Starbucks to achieve contracts with its shops in Buffalo, New York, which have been the primary in america to unionize.

“The delay is actually unacceptable,” Senator Maggie Hassan stated.

However the firm and union disagree over whether or not negotiation periods may be carried out through Zoom video calls.

Schultz reiterated that the corporate has “proven up about 85 occasions to have a face-to-face assembly” and tried to arrange 365 extra conferences.

“We’re prepared and in a position to have face-to-face negotiations, and can achieve this at a second’s discover,” he stated.