Biden Reportedly Mulls Inviting Amazon, Starbucks Union Leaders To White House

Topline

President Joe Biden is considering holding a meeting at the White House with union workers from Amazon and Starbucks, according to the Washington Post, in what would be a major signal of support for the union drives at the companies.

Key Facts

Discussions are ongoing and a meeting has not yet been agreed to, according to the Post, citing four unnamed sources with knowledge of the matter.

Biden campaigned on a vow to be the most “pro-union president” in American history, and he’s indicated he supports Amazon workers unionizing.

The president said “Amazon, here we come” at a North America’s Building Trades Unions event earlier this month, but White House press secretary Jen Psaki quickly clarified the statement was not “a message that he or the U.S. government would be directly involved.”

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Forbes.

Key Background

Workers at an Amazon warehouse in Staten Island voted in favor of unionizing late last month, and the results of a unionization vote at another Staten Island facility is anticipated Monday. Workers at more than 40 Starbucks stores have voted to unionize since December, according to the Post, after a location in Buffalo, New York, became the first to support unionization. Votes are now set to take place at hundreds more Starbucks stores around the country. Labor leaders hope the effort at a massive company like Amazon and the push from Starbucks workers to organize will serve as a spark for widespread unionization after decades of plummeting union membership in the American workforce.

Tangent

Biden’s potential move to support the labor movement comes as his administration faces tremendous criticism for the state of the economy. Inflation is at its highest level in more than 40 years and fears are growing the country could fall into a recession after a report released this week revealed gross domestic product decreased by 1.4% in the first quarter of 2022. Biden has in the past emphasized high union membership as the backbone of a strong economy, saying earlier this month: “union labor is smart for business and the American public and for our entire country.”

Further Reading

Amazon and Starbucks union workers could be invited to White House (Washington Post)

Amazon Workers In Staten Island Vote To Unionize In Blow To Retail Giant (Forbes)

Starbucks Workers Vote To Unionize In New York—A 2nd Store Votes No—As Coffee Giant Faces Labor Pressure (Forbes)

U.S. Economy Shrank 1.4% Last Quarter In Worst Showing Since Covid Recession, New GDP Estimate Shows (Forbes)