For paid subscribers: From Howard Schultz’ hostility to the relatively more amenable Laxman Narasimhan and through to Brian Niccol’s current intransigence, Starbucks' response to its union over the years has mirrored the CEO’s position.
It's the Coffee News Roundup: Week Ending June 19th
Nearly five years since the first Starbucks location unionised, contract negotiations are still dragging on. Can external pressure from shareholders and human-rights campaigners make a difference?
For paid subscribers: From Howard Schultz’ hostility to the relatively more amenable Laxman Narasimhan and through to Brian Niccol’s current intransigence, Starbucks' response to its union over the years has mirrored the CEO’s position.
How a coffee company reacts to its workers wishing to unionise says a lot. In the case of Starbucks, its actions have shifted depending on who is in charge.
As I was researching last week’s Pourover feature on the external pressure building on Starbucks over its union stance, I was struck by how the company’s response changed depending on who was CEO.
Starbucks Workers United began under Kevin Johnson (remember him? Me either) who left in 2022 and was replaced by Howard Schultz on an interim basis. This was when Starbucks really cracked down on the union. After Schultz left again and Laxman Narasimhan took over, the two sides made some progress towards a first contract.
But Narasimhan only lasted about 18 months, before being fired and replaced by Brian Niccol in September 2024. Since then, the company has mainly reverted to its previous, antagonistic approach.
For paid subscribers: retail coffee prices have soared in recent years, driven by climbing commodity costs and tariff stupidity. Some of those pressures have now started to ease, and yet retail prices continue to rise. Will they ever come down?
For paid subscribers: Eight years ago, the media got very excited about a patent for a drone that could monitor and deliver coffee to the those it deemed under-caffeinated. It never became reality—why not?
For paid subscribers: Naming a coffee company is tricky, and choosing the wrong one can result in controversy. Just ask Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii.
Chatbots telling us what we want. Robots making our coffee. Baristas reduced to smiling servers. If Starbucks and other brands get their way, this is the future: a frictionless, interactionless, lifeless coffee experience.
Deeply researched articles exploring all the ways coffee connects to politics, history, and culture—delivered direct to your inbox
