Starbucks faces federal union complaints from 34 employees

USA – Coffeehouse and roaster chain Starbucks has confirmed 34 complaints from Starbucks Workers United have been filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which will investigate the allegations of labor law violations.

If prosecutors determine the claims have merit, the case could progress to agency judges and potentially reach the federal appeals court.

These filings follow a complaint filed by the union on December 20, 2024, accusing Starbucks of engaging in unfair negotiation practices and coinciding with a major strike during the holiday season.

The union, representing 500 of Starbucks’ 10,000 corporate-operated U.S. cafes, alleged that the company violated labor laws by retaliating against employees involved in union activities.

This development comes despite signs in 2023 that tensions between Starbucks and the union were beginning to ease.

Starbucks has denied the accusations, calling them baseless. Company spokesperson Phil Gee stated in an email that filing such claims serves only as a distraction from the progress that could be made.

These complaints highlight the ongoing labor disputes Starbucks has faced since 2022. Although a February 2024 agreement aimed to reduce tensions and some negotiation progress was reported, discussions stalled over wage disagreements.

The union criticized Starbucks for offering inadequate pay proposals.

Michelle Eisen, a Buffalo-based barista and member of Workers United, expressed in an email that the union is prepared to take action to hold the company accountable for not honoring its commitments to baristas.

The filing occurred just weeks after a federal appeals court largely rejected Starbucks’ challenge to a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruling that the company unlawfully terminated two Philadelphia baristas for attempting to unionize.

The Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Starbucks lacked standing to question the constitutionality of the NLRB’s administrative law judges.

The NLRB is the federal agency responsible for enforcing labor laws related to workplace practices and collective bargaining.

Judge Thomas Ambro, writing for a three-judge panel, found substantial evidence supporting the NLRB’s decision that Starbucks engaged in unfair labor practices by firing Echo Nowakowska and Tristan Bussiere and by previously reducing Nowakowska’s hours.

The court also determined that Starbucks was aware before the firings that the baristas had secretly recorded meetings with supervisors.

It dismissed Starbucks’ argument that it should not have to reinstate the employees with back pay because the recordings were discovered later.

However, the court ruled that the NLRB overstepped its authority by ordering Starbucks to cover the baristas’ foreseeable expenses related to their terminations, such as job search costs and out-of-pocket medical bills.

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