The move comes against Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, Starbucks’ lead independent director, and Beth Ford, chair of the board’s nominating and corporate governance committee, as the company struggles to reach a collective agreement with its unionized baristas.
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On 18 February 2026, 09:34 PM IST
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Late last year more than 3,800 baristas joined a nationwide strike — the longest work stoppage in its history — as the Starbucks Workers United Union pushed for better staffing, more predictable schedules and higher pay after drawn-out contract negotiations.
The controversy has become a high-profile test for CEO Brian Nicol as he works to revive sales.
“We are concerned that, without a constructive relationship between Starbucks and its unionized workforce, the turnaround may prove difficult to sustain,” investors said in a letter ahead of the March 25 annual meeting.
New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, New York City Comptroller Mark Levin, Trillium ESG Global Equity Mutual Fund, SOC Investment Group, Merseyside Pension Fund and the Shareholder Association for Research and Education are all signatories.
“We offer the best jobs in retail with associates making an average of $30 an hour and world-class benefits … all for people who only work an average of 20 hours a week,” Starbucks said in a statement.
The investor group, in January, wrote to two directors expressing concern over the board’s elimination of its environmental, stakeholder and community impact committee without explanation.
Committee responsibilities were reallocated to existing committees and the full board reassumed primary responsibility for labor oversight, Starbucks told Reuters on Wednesday.
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