On March 22, 2022, a poster in favor of the union can be seen on the ramp pole outside the Starbucks Broadway and Denny locations in Seattle’s Capitol Hill district.
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Trade union Starbucks Claims that the coffee chain is closing a cafe that recently joined the union in retaliation for the efforts of activists.
This is the latest escalation between the fast-growing national labor movement and the coffee giant.
Trade unions supporting Starbucks’ organization efforts have filed with the National Labor Relations Commission on Friday that Starbucks violates federal labor law by permanently closing stores in Ithaca, NY. Stated.The group claimed that employees at the location were in retaliation Voted for the union in April..
According to a statement from the union, employees at the Ishika store went on strike on April 16 due to originally dangerous working conditions. In an email to the union’s negotiating committee, Starbucks cited grease traps as the reason for the store closure.
The union committee claims that Starbucks closed stores in retaliation for activities protected by federal labor law, preventing workers from organizing elsewhere. “It is a clear attempt to scare workers across the country by retaliation against employees in their own country,” the Commission said in a statement.
Starbucks said it would open and close stores “as a normal part” of its business. “Our goal is to ensure that all partners are supported in their individual circumstances and have immediate access to the market,” a Starbucks spokeswoman said in an email to CNBC. I did.
The union is asking agents to seek a federal court injunction to quickly prevent or revoke store closures.
About 100 Starbucks Cafes voted for the union under Workers United, but only 14 locations opposed the union. Workers United this week $ 1 Million Fund To make up for the lost wages of the striker barista.
CNBC previously reported that the Workers’ Union has filed at least 175 complaints against the coffee chain for unfair labor practices. Starbucks has denied cheating.
Trade union claims were first reported by Bloomberg News.
— CNBC’s Amelia Lucas contributed to this report.
