Starbucks faces union boycott and pressure to split CEO and chair
SOC Investment Group filed a Starbucks shareholder proposal seeking to separate the CEO and board chair roles, amid renewed labor pressure from Starbucks Workers United. The union called for a consumer boycott until a contract is settled for about 12,000 workers. Negotiations since April 2024 remain unresolved, and pro-labor investors cite alleged backsliding under CEO Brian Niccol despite recent sales momentum.