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That's a good move, so I want to be captured! Howard is really good at managing Starbucks!

Published: 2026-04-24 Author: World Gafei

Last Updated: 2026/04/24, On April 5, Howard Schultz, the current interim chief executive of Starbucks, announced on the first day of his return that he had suspended his multibillion-dollar share buyback program, saying the move would help the company invest more money in employees and stores. To put it simply, Howard Schultz is preparing to use the buyback stock

On April 5, Howard Schultz, the current interim chief executive of Starbucks, announced on the first day of his return that he had suspended his multibillion-dollar share buyback program, saying the move would help the company invest more money in employees and stores. To put it simply, Howard Schultz is preparing to use the money to buy back shares to increase the benefits of working employees and the operating capital of the store.

As soon as the news came out at that time, the partners who set up the Starbucks employee union in the United States not long ago seemed to see "hope"! Because they felt that Starbucks had been "forced" to make such a decision because of their own union, a few days after the announcement, more and more Starbucks employees in the United States voted to join the existing union.

Before Howard Schultz returned, he talked to the head of the first unionized Starbucks store. Howard Schultz also told the New York Times that the company failed to help them solve the operational problems of the store. So I let them down. The words also reinforced the belief of union members that Howard Schultz's 2022 Starbucks plan could increase benefits for them and solve the problem of manpower shortage.

Yes, yes, Howard Schultz is really going to increase employee benefits, but! Unionized partners may not be able to enjoy this new benefit. Reason: the new policy cannot be legally extended to unionized stores and unionized partners.

On April 13, Howard Schultz said at an online meeting with store heads across the United States that he was reviewing Starbucks' welfare system to expand employee benefits programs. The policy of expanding benefits will help reduce staff turnover at Starbucks and allow stores to better recruit and retain baristas.

However, these new benefits are not legally available to stores that have voted to form a union and partners who have joined a union, because under federal law, Starbucks cannot unilaterally change the salaries and benefits of union members and the operating funds of union stores, and the company needs to consult with union representatives separately before making a decision.

In response to Howard Schultz's speech, a US labor law expert said Starbucks had the right to discuss the differences in benefits between unionized and non-unionized partners, but could not give any hints. Because once hinting at differences in benefits is tantamount to trying to provide union partners with worse benefits than non-union partners, such hints may constitute evidence of malicious bargaining, which would be considered unfair labor behavior. But this time Howard Schultz's speech is only a statement of legal requirements, and it is difficult to determine whether he has any hints.

Although the meeting only briefly stated the relevant legal requirements, it indicated that the company would formulate two new welfare policies in accordance with the legal requirements. But compared with Starbucks' forcible stop approach to the union before Howard Schultz's return, this one is obviously a lot softer.

Since you don't eat the hard ones, I'll give you the soft ones.

Photo Source: Internet

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