Starbucks Ordered to Rehire Fired Union Activists

​A federal district court ordered Starbucks on Aug. 18 to rehire seven workers that it fired after learning about their union-organizing efforts at a Memphis, Tenn., store, according to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). We've gathered articles on the news from SHRM Online and other outlets.

NLRB Prevails on Petition for Temporary Relief

In its petition for temporary relief, the NLRB stated that after the organizing effort, Starbucks directed coercive measures at employees. According to the board, these measures included disciplining the employee responsible for starting the campaign; more closely supervising its employees; closing the area of the store on days organizers had invited the public and customers to come show support for the campaign; and removing all pro-union materials from the community bulletin board inside the store, including notes from customers expressing support for the campaign. Then, following increased media coverage and public support for the campaign, Starbucks fired seven union activists on the same day, including five of the six members of the union-organizing committee.

(NLRB)

Starbucks Contests Ruling

"We strongly disagree with the judge's ruling in this case," Starbucks said in a statement. "These individuals violated numerous policies and failed to maintain a secure work environment and safety standards. Interest in a union does not exempt partners from following policies that are in place to protect partners, our customers and the communities we serve." The company plans to appeal the decision.

(NPR)

Policies in Question

Policies that the fired employees allegedly broke included going behind the counter while off duty and unlocking a door to allow an unauthorized person to enter the store while off duty. The NLRB argued that Starbucks fired the workers based on violations of policies it did not consistently enforce, saying the decision was a pretext for opposition to unionization.

(The Hill)

NLRB General Counsel's Statement

"Today's federal court decision ordering Starbucks to reinstate the seven unlawfully fired Starbucks workers in Memphis is a crucial step in ensuring that these workers, and all Starbucks workers, can freely exercise their right to join together to improve their working conditions and form a union," Jennifer Abruzzo, NLRB general counsel, said in a statement.

(The Washington Post)

Unionization at Starbucks Challenged

More than 200 Starbucks stores have voted to unionize since December 2021. Starbucks maintains that NLRB employees secretly coordinated with union organizers near Kansas City, Mo., and has asked the agency to stop mail-in votes across the country until there has been a full investigation.

(SHRM Online) and (NPR)