Since the 2020 election there's been much debate over how America's elections are conducted, especially when it comes to absentee and early voting via ballots sent through the mail. Now, as the midterms approach, Starbucks has decided that mail-in ballots are not good — at least when it comes to union elections among its franchise employees.
Apparently, Starbucks has discovered that mail-in ballots are susceptible to fraud and misconduct — according to a letter the coffee giant sent to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), via CNBC:
The Seattle-based coffee giant wrote in a letter to the chairman and general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board on Monday that the labor board’s officials acted inappropriately during an election in the Kansas City area and has likely acted similarly in other elections. Starbucks cited a career NLRB professional who approached the company as a whistleblower.
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According to Starbucks, NLRB officials allegedly coordinated with union agents to arrange for in-person voting at the labor board’s offices during mail-in ballot elections. The company also alleges that Workers United agents were given confidential, real-time information about specific vote counts so the union could target employees who hadn’t voted yet. NLRB officials and Workers United then allegedly coordinated to cover up this activity, the company said.
Starbucks’ letter details email correspondence that allegedly occurred between union representatives and labor board officials. The company said it was informed of the emails’ contents by the whistleblower.
However, what's good for Starbucks is apparently not what Starbucks thinks is good for the rest of America's voters. In a predictably ironic twist, Starbucks was one of many corporate entities that signed onto a statement opposing election integrity laws in Georgia and other states being pursued by Republican legislators and governors.
The statement, one of the broadest shows of corporate opposition to legislation to secure elections, declared "WE STAND FOR DEMOCRACY" before explaining the signatories' opposition to election restrictions being considered in several states:
A Government of the people, by the people.
A beautifully American ideal, but a reality denied to many for much of this nation's history.
As Americans, we know that in our democracy we should not expect to agree on everything.
However, regardless of our political affiliations, we believe the very foundation of our electoral process rests upon the ability of each of us to cast our ballots for the candidates of our choice.
For American democracy to work for any of us, we must ensure the right to vote for all of us.
We all should feel a responsibility to defend the right to vote and to oppose any discriminatory legislation or measures that restrict or prevent any eligible voter from having an equal and fair opportunity to cast a ballot.
Voting is the lifeblood of our democracy and we call upon all Americans to join us in taking a nonpartisan stand for this most basic and fundamental right of all Americans.
So Starbucks opposes legislation that would put restrictions on the ability of fraud-prone voting methods, but wants to enact restrictions on fraud-prone voting methods for its own employees who are decided whether to join unions.
So far, 220 Starbucks locations have voted to unionize, with more than 30 stores set to vote in union elections in the coming days, according to CNBC.
Yet again, there are two sets of rules and acceptable standards: one for big woke corporations and one for the rest of Americans. If it's not safe for Starbucks employees to vote by mail in a way that prevents outcomes from being manipulated in mere union elections, why should Americans choosing their presidents or other elected officials with the ability to change the course of the country be elected by more lax election guidelines?
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