Starbucks Workers United. BBC NEWS

Starbucks ordered to rehire workers after illegally fired

The US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) court has ruled that Starbucks illegally dismissed six employees in New York as retaliation against unions. The coffee company has been ordered to rehire the former employees and pay other harmed parties. According to the judge, the company violated the Federal Labor Law in "egregious and widespread" ways at its outlets in Buffalo and Rochester. Starbucks responded by claiming that its actions were legal and compliant with regulations. Michael Rosas, a federal administrative law judge, also mandated that Starbucks rehire another employee he found to have been unlawfully driven out of their position in a ruling that spanned more than 200 pages. The court further claimed that the company threatened and interrogated the employees to prohibit wage discussions. The NLRB is an independent federal agency with the authority to defend employees' right to form unions at work. Despite the company's opposition, employees at about 270 Starbucks locations across the US voted last year to become union members. Starbucks has about 9,000 company-owned stores in the US. Starbucks, which has long taken pride in its standing as a progressive, worker-friendly company, has stated that it respects the right of employees to protest. The company has recently increased compensation and implemented other improvements in response to the dissatisfaction. KD/Expat Media
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