Biden fields questions on ability, foreign affairs while misspeaking at times
For almost an hour President Joe Biden takes questions from the media about his policies, his candidacy and his health. And Prince Harry addresses the controversy surrounding his selection as an award recipient at the ESPYs. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Friday, July 12, 2024.
Biden fields questions on ability, foreign affairs while misspeaking at times
The eyes of the world were on President Joe Biden on Thursday night, July 11, as he delivered an hour-long press conference to close out the NATO summit in Washington, D.C. It was his first press conference since his poor performance at the June 27 debate, which has led to growing concern in the Democratic Party about his candidacy.
The president fielded questions from reporters, but it was a gaffe he made earlier in the day at the summit that was already on people’s minds. He misspoke while introducing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“Now I want to hand it over to the president of Ukraine who has as much courage as he has determination, ladies and gentlemen, President Putin,” Biden said, before quickly catching himself. “President Putin? He’s going to beat President Putin. President Zelenskyy. I’m so focused on beating Putin, we’ve got to worry about it. Anyway, Mr. President.”
Then came the evening press conference — President Biden’s first in eight months. He made it clear he plans on staying in the race to face former President Donald Trump in November, despite the calls from some Democratic lawmakers to step aside.
“I think I’m the most qualified person to run for president,” President Biden vowed. “I beat him once and I’ll beat him again.”
However, just minutes into the Q&A portion, Biden slipped when asked about Vice President Kamala Harris’ ability to beat Trump if she were at the top of the ticket.
“Look, I wouldn’t have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president, did I think she was not qualified to be president, so let’s start there,” he said.
And when answering a question about the U.S.’ military assistance for Ukraine, Biden made another error before correcting himself.
“I’m following the advice of my Commander in Chief — my, the Chief of Staff of the military, as well as the Secretary of Defense and our intelligence people,” he said.
Still, Biden spent most of his time in front of the press corps displaying his understanding of foreign affairs, giving detailed responses to questions on Russia, China and the Middle East.
“We have to make clear China has to understand that if they are supplying Russia with information and capacity along with working with North Korea and others to help Russia and armament, that they’re not going to benefit economically as a consequence of that by getting the kind of investment they’re looking for,” Biden said.
He also touched on the ongoing war in Gaza.
“I know Israel well and I support Israel,” he said. “But this war cabinet is one of the most conservative war cabinets in the history of Israel and there’s no ultimate answer other than a two-state solution here.”
Ultimately, the questions came back to Biden’s well-being. The president was asked if he’d be willing to take another neurological exam.
“Every single day I’m surrounded by good docs, if they think there’s a problem, I promise you or even if they don’t think it’s a problem, they think I should have a neurological exam again I’ll do it but no one’s suggesting that to me now,” he responded.
When asked by a reporter if he’d step aside if data showed Vice President Harris would be in a better position to win the election in November, Biden remained defiant.
“No, unless they came back and said there’s no way you can win,” he said. “Me. No one’s saying that. No poll says that.”
Former President Donald Trump seized the moment during Thursday’s press conference, commenting on Biden’s missteps on his Truth Social app, highlighting any mistakes the president made. When asked about that, Biden replied, “Listen to him.”
Crooked Joe begins his “Big Boy” Press Conference with, "I wouldn't have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president, though I think she was not qualified to be president." Great job, Joe!
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) July 12, 2024
More Democratic lawmakers call on Biden to drop out of race
While President Biden may have hoped his press conference Thursday night would calm fears of his abilities among his party, three more Democratic lawmakers are now calling for him to drop out of the race. They join 13 other House members and one Senate Democrat.
Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut said in a statement that he believes Biden is “a remarkable leader” but needs to “step away from his presidential campaign.”
Rep. Scott Peters of California said he’s asking the president to withdraw, adding the stakes are high and the Democrats are on a losing course.
And Rep. Eric Sorensen of Illinois said he hopes the president will step aside for a candidate “who will communicate a positive vision for every person in this country.”
Meanwhile, CBS News reports dozens of Democratic lawmakers are expected to issue statements calling for Biden to leave the race within the next 48 hours.
Trump asks judge to toss criminal conviction over SCOTUS immunity ruling
Former President Trump is seeking to have his recent criminal conviction in New York thrown out based on the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on presidential immunity. Trump’s lawyers argue some of the evidence and testimony used in the criminal trial should not have been allowed because they were related to official acts Trump made while president, which the Supreme Court ruled are protected from prosecution.
Already the Supreme Court’s decision has delayed sentencing in that case. Originally set for Thursday, July 11, it’s now been pushed back to Sept. 18 to give the judge time to consider how the ruling impacts the outcome of the trial.
We were all taught in grade school that there are no kings here in America, but what the MAGA Justices have done is placed a crown on Donald Trump's head.
I am working in the Senate on legislation to clarify that Trump's election-subversion acts do not count as official acts.
Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Democrats are considering a bill that would classify some of Trump’s actions that have landed him in legal troubles as “unofficial acts” so he could still be prosecuted.
Record-setting heat wave scorches western U.S., dozens dead
A week-long heat wave has left nearly 30 people dead and incinerated multiple temperature records in the west. Forecasters say it will continue to bring dangerously high temperatures through Saturday, July 13, before moving to the central and eastern U.S. by Sunday, July 14.
Millions of people across multiple states are under heat advisories. The situation is especially bad in Texas, where thousands of people are still without power after Hurricane Beryl tore through Monday, July 8, killing at least ten people.
More than 1 million power customers in southeast Texas — mainly between Galveston and north of Houston — are still without power. Officials say half a million Houston-area homes and businesses may not have their power restored until July 22.
NRG Arena is being converted into a 250-bed post-hospital recovery site so discharged patients don’t go to homes without power. This is intended to alleviate the backup of patients at Houston’s hospitals. #KHOU11pic.twitter.com/zmPQowa9nO
The outages have crippled infrastructure across the region, including hospitals and water treatment plants, leaving many without clean drinking water.
Dollar General to pay $12M safety violations settlement
Dollar General has agreed to pay a $12 million fine and improve working conditions at thousands of its stores across the country. The company reached a settlement with OSHA to resolve alleged violations, including unsafe storage, blocked emergency exits and fire extinguishers, and inaccessible electrical panels.
Under the agreement, if inspectors find similar problems in the future, Dollar General could be fined up to $100,000 a day if they’re not resolved within 48 hours.
The terms of the deal also require Dollar General to significantly reduce inventory and improve stocking to prevent hazards and hire more safety managers, as well as create a health and safety committee with employee participation.
Prince Harry accepts Pat Tillman Award for Service at 2024 ESPYs
The best in the world of sports were honored Thursday night at ESPN’s annual award show — the ESPYs. But going into the event, there was some controversy over ESPN’s choice to receive the Pat Tillman Award for Service.
Prince Harry is the recipient of the Pat Tillman Award for Service.
The Duke of Sussex founded The Invictus Games, an international platform that supports wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women who are navigating both physical and invisible injuries. pic.twitter.com/M3F3Rmft4j
Prince Harry was selected for his role in starting the Invictus Games for wounded military personnel and veterans.
In the days leading up to the ceremony. the mother of Pat Tillman — the former NFL player turned U.S. soldier who was killed in Afghanistan in 2004 — criticized ESPN’s selection, saying there were recipients far more fitting. Harry took a moment to respond to the controversy while delivering his acceptance speech.
“I’d like to begin by expressing my deepest gratitude to everyone at the Pat Tillman Foundation, led by Marie Tillman Shenton, who I’m so honored is here tonight,” he said. “I’d also like to acknowledge the Tillman family, especially Mrs. Mary Tillman, Pat’s mother. Her advocacy for Pat’s legacy is deeply personal and one that I respect. The bond between a mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses.”
During his speech, Prince Harry said he is just a voice for the Invictus Games Foundation and the thousands of veterans and service members who have taken part in the games over the past 10 years, adding the award belongs to them.
What the June jobs report tells us about the state of the economy
The June jobs report came back a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand, the U.S. economy added slightly more jobs than expected at 206,000. On the other hand, the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.1%.
It’s the first time the unemployment rate has been above 4% since late 2021. Analysts had expected unemployment to stay at 4% and anticipated around 200,000 jobs added.
“The big downward revisions to April and May are the story,” Charles Schwab Chief Fixed Income Strategist Kathy Jones said on X. “Job market is slowing down.”
Historically, an unemployment rate of around 4.1% is strong. But since the economy has been below that for 2.5 years and reached a five-decade low of 3.4% unemployment in 2023, the upward trend is catching attention.
The Federal Reserve last projected unemployment would be at 4% for 2024 and 4.2% for 2025, so already exceeding that 2024 number makes a rate cut look all the more likely. The Fed is now projecting one rate cut this year. The market is betting the Fed will hold steady for its July meeting and cut in September.
Back in May, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said there are two paths to cutting rates.
“That we do gain greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably down toward 2% and another path could be unexpected weakening in the labor market, so those are paths in which you could see us cutting rates,” Powell said.
The Fed’s preferred inflation gauge shows prices rose 2.6% annually in May. The more widely-cited consumer price index shows a 3.3% rise in prices. Meanwhile, wages are outpacing inflation, rising 3.9% over 12 months in June, though the pace of wage gains is slowing.
While the latest jobs data still shows a robust labor market, it is softening from its status as one of the strongest labor markets in history.
An unemployment rate between 4%-5% is considered “full employment,” which is when a country’s available labor is being used in the most efficient way.
Full employment does not mean zero unemployment. Economists believe there needs to be some level of unemployment to minimize inflation and allow people to move between jobs, pursue education or improve job skills. The idea of full employment is that people looking for full-time work should be able to find it, although it might not be their preferred job.
But initial unemployment claims are trending up and the number of people who are unemployed for more than half a year is also climbing. More than a fifth of the unemployed fall under that category, while the median amount of time people are unemployed is nearly 10 weeks. One year ago, it was 6.4 weeks.
Forget 4-day workweek, Greece adds 6th workday in face of labor shortages
Companies across the globe are experimenting with the idea of the four-day workweek, but in Greece, the government has implemented a sixth day to the workweek, which started on Monday, July 1. The Greek president said that the aim is to bolster worker productivity at a time when the country is facing a shrinking population and a shortage of skilled workers.
Under the new 48-hour workweek, employees will have the option to work an additional two hours per day or an extra eight-hour shift.
However, labor unions argue that the law is “barbaric” and accuse the Greek government of stripping away rights and legal protections in the name of profit. They claim that the move could kill the five-day workweek if employers are allowed to require workers come in for an extra day of work.
European Data shows that Greeks work the longest hours in Europe but get paid much less than workers in other EU countries, averaging around $840 a month. However, Greek officials said the new workweek regulations will ensure that workers get paid for the overtime they’re already putting in.
Some companies in the United States are also toying with the idea of a sixth day of work.
A survey by Resume Builder shows 1 in 10 American companies plan to introduce a six-day work week in 2025. The data also revealed that even more companies said they think employees should work more than the traditional 40 hours per week. Additionally, 76% of businesses surveyed believe a six-day workweek would boost worker productivity.
However, critics argued that longer hours hurt employees seeking a better work-life balance. Some labor experts said the decision to increase hours in the age of employee “burnout” may be a detriment to companies looking to be competitive in the hiring process.
New ‘living skin’ advances humanoid robot technology
Humanoid robots aren’t just science fiction anymore; in fact, they’re almost ready to enter the workforce. Amazon has been exploring replacing some of its warehouse staff with robots, and Elon Musk is also considering the potential of robotic helpers.
The latest developments come from scientists at the University of Tokyo, who have created a type of skin from human cells. This pink, gooey material can stretch into what resembles an awkward smile.
Researchers use a special gel loaded with skin-forming cells to sculpt a “living layer” that adheres to robotic surfaces, bringing biology into play when the robot smiles.
Researchers believe this technology could enhance our understanding of facial expressions and advance treatments for facial paralysis, as well as improve cosmetic and orthopedic surgeries. In the future, stroke patients and burn victims who have undergone major surgeries could benefit from more natural skin augmentations.
While it will take many more years of testing for this technology to become an everyday reality, researchers hope it will make robots in the workforce more approachable. Although the commercial viability of humanoid robots like Boston Dynamics‘ Atlas and Tesla’s Optimus remains limited, recent advancements are starting to bridge the gap to practical applications.
At Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting, CEO Elon Musk suggested that humanoid robots could significantly increase the company’s market value to $25 trillion in the future. He also predicted that by 2025, Tesla would have “a few thousand” Optimus robots operational in its factories.
Meanwhile, Boston Dynamics has been selling its robot dog, Spot, since 2019 and hopes to one day bring its humanoid “Atlas” robot to market.
Saw stop: Reps. introduce bill to derail rule that aims to prevent amputations
A pair of lawmakers have introduced legislation to stop a potential regulation that would mandate safety technology in table saws. The bipartisan representatives say the rule would force woodworkers to pay more for the tool while creating a monopoly in the space.
However, there is technology on the market that limits these accidents for the most part. SawStop, the manufacturer of premium-priced table saws, products have a brake that stops the blade the second it comes in contact with human skin. This is often illustrated with the use of a hot dog.
Via SawStop
The table saw continually sends a small electrical current through the blade, and since the human body is conductive, the moment skin makes contact with the blade, the current changes and the safety feature initiates the brake. When this happens, it generally destroys the blade and requires a new brake cartridge to be installed.
Reps. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., and Jeff Duncan, R-S.C., think that would lead to a monopoly because SawStop holds a patent on the feature and has been litigious in the past as competitors attempted to make a comparable product.
For its part, SawStop issued a press release in February promising to dedicate its key patents to the public if this rule were to go into effect. But still, it would take years for other manufacturers to implement the technology into their product lines.
In a video posted to X, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez pointed to the fact that SawStop’s products demand a higher price than most other products on the market. For instance, the least expensive SawStop table saw that includes the technology costs around $900, while a comparable product from DeWalt retails for $650.
At this time it remains unclear if or when the CPSC will take any action on the regulation or if the legislation will gain any momentum in Congress.
How much sway does Fed’s interest rate policy have over residual inflation?
The latest consumer price report released on Wednesday, May 15, showed a slight easing of inflation in April. It was led by lower grocery prices and declining auto prices, both new and used. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said overall consumer prices rose 3.4% on the year and 0.3% on the month, with shelter and gas prices accounting for more than 70% of total monthly inflation.
Meanwhile, core inflation — which excludes food and energy categories — rose 3.6%. That is the lowest annual increase for core prices since April 2021.
Every bit of new economic data brings speculation on the Federal Reserve’s next move with its interest rate policy. The Fed has very few tools to help bring down inflation; the one it has used the most is hiking interest rates.
The Fed has vowed to keep interest rates restrictive until there is clear evidence inflation is on its way to the preferred 2% target. While markets had initially predicted the Fed would cut rates six times in 2024, now even two rate cuts is an optimistic stance.
“We’ve had a lot of trouble getting inflation down and I think there’s also the argument there where it’s like, ‘Are the Fed’s tools even the right tools to be fighting inflation? Are interest rates even something we should be paying attention to?’” said Kyla Scanlon, an economic commentator and author of “In This Economy? How Money & Markets Really Work.”
“Shelter inflation is a huge contributor to the print that we see in the consumer price index,” Scanlon said. “Auto insurance — something that can’t really be controlled by interest rates in a really big way — is also a huge part of the CPI print.”
Motor vehicle insurance is up 22.6% over the past year, according to the latest CPI report. Shelter is up 5.5% on an annual basis. Both are areas of spending that are necessary. In the latest inflation report, shelter and gas prices comprised more than 70% of the monthly increase for all consumer items.
In an interview with Straight Arrow News, Scanlon spoke more about Americans feeling negative about the economy in contrast to the data, where inflation is slowing, unemployment is low and wages are up. Below is an excerpt from that interview. Watch the exchange in the video above.
Simone Del Rosario: You were really at the forefront of the bad vibes economy that we’ve unfortunately been living in for a couple of years now. We’ve gone through a lot. But I wanted to ask you, what is the biggest source behind the current bad vibes?
Kyla Scanlon: I don’t know, I’ve spent two years trying to figure that out. I mean, I think it’s really tough. We have a structural affordability problem; the housing market is a nightmare, inflation is a pressure cooker.
It would be silly to think that just because inflation is going down — so things are getting less expensive, less fast — that people would be feeling better. So I think that we have these structural issues that maybe aren’t being addressed as quickly as people want. That’s leading to negative consumer sentiment.
And then you can point to things like media headlines being extraordinarily negative. You can point to the polarization. The United States is just really disconnected right now. We all feel it, we all see it.
I think in that sort of environment, it’s difficult to have positive consumer sentiment, even if GDP is going up, even if the labor market is doing okay, even if inflation is slowing down. There are real reasons behind the negative consumer sentiment despite a relatively okay economy.
Simone Del Rosario: I like to say that there are the prints and then there’s the perception. You’ve talked about needing to be really good at media literacy when trying to navigate this. How much do you think the bad vibes are driven by this negative news coverage?
Kyla Scanlon: I think a lot. I feel like it’s sort of lazy to be like, ‘It’s just the headlines,’ but if you have a negative word in the headline, the click-through rate increases by 2.3%. If you have a positive word, the click-through rate decreases by 1.9%. So I think that sort of statistic just tells us quite a bit about what people are clicking on and what they’re consuming.
So I do think there is this framing issue that the media has just because of the inherent business model. And of course, you’re going to feel bad if everything you read is bad.
Straight Arrow News also spoke to Scanlon about the impact proposed tariffs on China could have on inflation. You can watch that interview here.
Work 5 days a week? This US county is seeing success with 32-hour workweeks
The island county of San Juan in Washington state was one of the first local governments in the U.S. to switch most of its employees to a 32-hour workweek. Now, six months in, the county is “encouraged” by what it has seen.
San Juan didn’t move to 32 hours out of sheer curiosity, like some international experiments. This decision came from labor negotiations where the county said it could not afford to foot the hourly wage increase pushed by the union over 40-hour workweeks.
Instead, the negotiations settled on higher wages for 32-hour workweeks. Employees are making about the same amount overall but working a full day less. In turn, the county is saving $975,000 by not paying the higher wage over 40 hours.
The change appears to be a hit with workers. Seventy-eight percent of employees reported the job impacts their overall health and well-being more positively since switching to 32 hours, while 83% agree that it has improved their work-life balance. The county has also seen a 31% decrease in sick leave.
That said, 12% of respondents anecdotally mentioned feeling stressed about the 32-hour workweek in a six-month check-in survey. The report said many of those reporting more stress are managers and supervisors tasked with maintaining productivity over fewer hours.
But this math may be the most interesting part of the initial results. Going from 40 hours to 32 hours per week is a 20% drop in hours worked. However, in San Juan County, total employee hours worked only dropped 8% over this change, partly because the county has improved recruiting and retention, meaning fewer vacancies and a fuller workforce.
The county is filling open positions 62% faster since making the change. In 2023, the county received just one local applicant in the first quarter. This year, it had 53 local applicants in the first quarter.
Also, 78% of county staff hired after the 32-hour workweek said the schedule was the main factor they considered when applying. Separations from the county dropped 46% and 67% of employees said the 32-hour week is a huge factor in their decision to stay.
It’s not all smooth sailing. Employees said when it comes to the public, about a third had positive feedback while the same amount had negative feedback. Some departments are only available four days a week while others are staggering the shifts to stay open five days a week. Emergency services and the sheriff’s office are not part of the 32-hour workweek arrangement.
The county admits there are still some decisions and improvements to work out to ensure maximum staffing and customer service.
“Six months is really just a drop in the bucket, and I look forward to seeing what the one-year and two-year check-ins will reveal,” Interim County Manager Mark Tompkins said.
Activists at 25 universities aim to boot Starbucks, allege anti-union practices
Starbucks is facing scrutiny from pro-union activists across 25 U.S. college campuses, according to The Guardian. On Thursday, Feb. 22, student organizers are reportedly calling for universities, including the University of Chicago, Georgetown University, and Rutgers, to cancel contracts with Starbucks shops on campus.
The Guardian reports that union advocates will be holding petition drives in an effort to hold Starbucks accountable for its labor practices and support union organizing efforts at locations across the U.S.
The demands by union leaders come as some unionized workers accuse Starbucks of “union-busting tactics.” Starbucks has denied the accusations, telling The Guardian it remains committed to “our stated aim of reaching ratified contracts for U.S. union-represented stores in 2024.”
According to The Guardian, around 400 Starbucks stores in the U.S. have won unionized elections to join Starbucks Workers United Union since 2021.
The New York Times reports that union leaders are requesting a minimum wage of up to $20 per hour with annual raises and “fair and consistent scheduling.” Workers interviewed by The New York Times said Starbucks executives often tout the benefits the company provides but rarely reach the minimum of 20 hours to qualify for benefits.
Fox Business reports that in June, a federal administrative judge for the National Labor Relations Board found that Starbucks committed “egregious and widespread misconduct in violation of federal labor laws as unionization efforts at stores in New York took place.” According to Fox Business, accusations against Starbucks included spying and threats against those involved in union organizing efforts.
The federal administrative judge ordered Starbucks to cease and desist from actions that violate employees’ rights to organize and to reinstate seven terminated employees, as well as pay financial restitution to 27 other employees.
A Starbucks spokesperson reportedly found the ruling “inappropriate” and said that Starbucks is seeking a legal review of the ruling.
The New York Times also reports that Starbucks faces accusations of shuttering unionized stores, which the company denies, blaming other factors such as crime for the closure of the stores.
In December, according to Reuters, a third-party inquiry found that Starbucks did not use anti-union practices during its contract negotiations with unionized employees.
Starbucks Workers United told Reuters that the report “acknowledges deep problems” with the company’s response to unionization.
The Guardian reports that no store has had its unionization votes ratified by Starbucks to date.
Millions of US workers set for minimum wage boost in 2024
As the clock ticks into 2024, millions of American workers will welcome a pay increase. Minimum wage adjustments are set to take effect in 22 states and 38 cities or counties across the nation in the new year.
Data from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) shows that 12 states, including California, Arizona and Connecticut, are raising minimum wages based on an inflation adjustment formula.
Meanwhile, eight states, including Maryland, Illinois and New York, have enacted new laws to boost their minimum wages. Nebraska and Missouri voters approved ballot measures to do the same.
Hawaii will see the most substantial increase, jumping from $12 per hour to $14 per hour. On the other hand, Michigan will witness the smallest rise of $0.23 per hour, reaching $10.33.
Starting Jan. 1, Maryland, New Jersey, and upstate New York will join California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Washington in establishing a minimum wage of $15 or higher, with Washington leading at $16.28 per hour.
While the wage hike is sure to make an impact on retail and fast-food workers, small, local businesses must also prepare to pay employees more.
Business owners like Victoria Foster of Victory Lane Boutique in Cincinnati, Ohio, emphasized the need to raise salaries for employees.
“You have to be able to raise salaries for employees just to be able to survive, to be able to live comfortably,” Foster said.
However, the minimum wage increase may not benefit all workers in the 22 states. Some business owners may opt to cut staff to manage higher costs.
In California, where the state minimum wage reaches $16 on Jan. 1, fast-food workers will see an even more significant increase to $20 per hour by April 2024.
Nearly 10 million workers are expected to see a pay raise in the new year, with EPI estimating that almost 60% of those workers are women, and over a quarter are parents.
Despite this shift, it’s important to note that the federal minimum wage, stagnant since 2009, remains at $7.25 per hour.
More than 5,000 workers were expected to participate, engaging in picketing and visiting non-union stores.
AP Images
Edwin Palmasolis, a Starbucks employee for over two years, joined the strike, emphasizing the need for improved working conditions at his Manhattan store, which voted to unionize last year.
“We’ve been trying to negotiate with Starbucks,” Palmasolis said. “But they will do anything to, like, not meet with us, so they’ll stall or they’ll, like, appoint another day for them to meet with us. But not much has been said on their side.”
AP Images
“It’ll make a big difference in our lives if we start to see some changes,” Palmasolis said.
He added that the store in the middle of Manhattan’s busy Astor Place business district unionized last year, but it hasn’t been able to meet with Starbucks to negotiate a contract.
Starbucks asserted that many striking stores remained open, staffed by non-striking employees and supervisors.
The company opposes unionization, and despite numerous stores voting to unionize, it has not reached a labor agreement. Tensions between Starbucks and Workers United have escalated, leading to legal disputes, including a recent lawsuit where Starbucks accused Workers United of damaging its reputation with a pro-Palestinian social media post.
AP Images
As of Nov. 16, at least 363 company-operated Starbucks stores in 41 states have voted to unionize since late 2021, contributing to a broader trend of labor activism in the U.S.
Starbucks has faced 111 complaints of unfair labor practices, with regional National Labor Relations Board offices accusing the company of refusing to bargain. Despite starting negotiations with the Teamsters union, no labor agreement has been reached.
