Starbucks Corp., facing a growing unionization movement in the US from baristas and other retail employees, paid nearly $11.7 million to its former general counsel Rachel Gonzalez last year.
Gonzalez, who was replaced after Starbucks brought back its chairman emeritus Howard Schultz for a third stint as CEO, was involuntarily terminated as of April 4, 2022. She remained a senior adviser to Starbucks through May 20 of last year, during which time the company reduced by 50% her annual base salary of $725,000.
Starbucks disclosed in a proxy statement filed Jan. 27 that its former top lawyer received about $440,200 in base salary, more than $3.6 million in stock awards, and roughly $7.6 million in other compensation last year. That sum was more than double the $5.3 million pay package given to Gonzalez in fiscal 2021.
Gonzalez, now serving as a board observer at Vacasa Inc., said in an interview last year that she remains a loyal Starbucks customer. The terms of her separation deal call for Starbucks to pay up to $8 million to Gonzalez, who was hired in 2018.
Her exit came as Starbucks reshuffled its executive management—veteran in-house lawyer Zabrina Jenkins remains acting general counsel—in the face of mounting labor woes, including walkouts and union organization efforts in its stores.
The coffee chain had at least 107 strikes during 2022, a year in which...
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