Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Several large companies from the United States (US), such as Starbucks to McDonald’s, are facing controversy, including threats of boycott, due to the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas group.
Starbucks reportedly sued its union, Starbucks Workers United, earlier this month after the labor organization expressed solidarity with Palestinians. The message uploaded on X has now been deleted.
The lawsuit comes after the union’s message sparked calls for a boycott of Starbucks. It is known that many people mistake the union’s position for the company’s position.
“We strongly disagree with the views expressed by Workers United, including its local affiliates, union officials, and those who identify as members of ‘Starbucks Workers United,'” said Sara Kelly, executive vice president and chief partner officer at Starbucks, in his statement, quoted Wednesday (24/10/2023).
“None of these groups represent Starbucks Coffee Company and do not represent the views, positions or beliefs of our company,” he was quoted as saying ABC News.
The union has also filed a countersuit against Starbucks. They called the lawsuit an attempt to damage the union and undermine their organizing efforts.
Meanwhile, a McDonald’s franchise in Israel announced free meals for members of the Israeli military. This sparked a backlash from consumers and messages. Even several McDonald’s franchises from other countries stated that this action had nothing to do with them.
A McDonald’s spokesperson said the company’s primary focus is ensuring employee safety. To support communities in the region, McDonald’s made a donation of US$1 million split equally between the Red Cross and the World Food Program.
Additionally, reports The Washington Post said hundreds of Google employees circulated a petition after CEO Sundar Picha issued a letter deemed to support Israel’s actions.
Several days after the Hamas attack, several large companies responded very quickly, one of which was Amazon.
“The attacks on civilians in Israel are shocking and painful to witness. Hope peace can be realized as soon as possible,” Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said on October 9 in a post on X.
However, quite a few companies remained silent several days after the attack.
In all, more than 150 companies have issued statements condemning the initial attacks by Hamas, according to a collection of public statements compiled by Yale University Management Professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld.
The list of companies includes leading companies such as Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Verizon and Tesla. Some company executives even made sharp statements highlighting personal ties to Israel.
Some of the company’s statements criticizing Hamas have drawn criticism from advocates who say they fail to sympathize with the suffering and oppression experienced by Palestinian civilians.
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