Starbucks CEO Niccol Earns 6,666 Times Median Worker Pay

The AFL-CIO's 2024 Executive Paywatch report revealed that Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol earned an astonishing $98 million, which is 6,666 times the median pay of a typical Starbucks worker globally, making it the widest pay gap among the nation's 500 largest public companies. This disparity means a Starbucks employee would have to start working in 4643 BC to match Niccol's annual compensation, highlighting the extreme economic inequality between corporate executives and rank-and-file workers. The average CEO pay for S&P 500 companies increased 7% to $18.9 million in 2024, while typical worker pay rose only 3%, further exacerbating pay inequality. The report also linked this executive pay surge to the GOP-led tax cuts under President Trump, which disproportionately benefit the wealthiest 1%, including CEOs. Starbucks workers, many part-time and global, have pushed for unionization through Starbucks Workers United to improve wages and working conditions amid these disparities. Niccol’s hefty compensation package, including perks like a private plane, has fueled investor concerns and worker unrest as Starbucks enforces return-to-office mandates that may lead to more employee resignations.