U.S. labor board presses Starbucks to reinstate 7 fired workers tied to union drive

Federal regulators are asking a judge to ensure seven fired workers win their jobs back at the Memphis Starbucks they were attempting to unionize, alleging the coffee giant used “coercive measures,” after the drive attracted media attention.

The National Labor Relations Board asked the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee to issue an injunction on Tuesday that would allow the workers to be reinstated at the Poplar Highlands coffee shop in Memphis. Kathleen Mckinney, the NLRB director for the New Orleans region, also said that the company must “cease its unlawful conduct immediately so that all Starbucks workers can fully and freely exercise their labor rights.”

The company has said the dismissals stemmed from violations of company policy. On Wednesday, Starbucks spokesman Reggie Borges emphasized that the complaint does not constitute a finding by the NLRB. Rather, it’s the beginning of a litigation process in which both sides will be heard.

The NLRB reviews labor grievances from unions or individual employees, and files a complaint if its own investigation determines the claims have merit. An administrative law judge then convenes a hearing to weigh the evidence from both parties and decide what to do. Such cases can take a year or longer to resolve.

“We believe the allegations contained in the filing by the NLRB Regional Director are false, and we look forward to presenting our evidence when the allegations are adjudicated,” Borges said in an email.