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Starbucks ordered to reinstate employees, bargain with stores

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Starbucks workers are celebrating a victory in court.

National Labor Relations Board Administrative Law Judge Michael Rosas issued a decision on 35 unfair labor practice charges filed against the company by Starbucks Workers United — the firebrand organizing group responsible for the unionization of hundreds of stores around the country.

Starbucks workers accuse company of retaliatory firings amid union efforts

The unionization of American Starbucks stores started here in Buffalo, with the location on Elmwood Avenue. But it hasn’t been an easy road for many workers.

Starbucks has been ordered to cease and desist from a number of actions, including prohibiting employees from talking about their wages, restricting employees from posting union literature and instructing employees to surveil and report coworkers who engaged in union activity.

Other highlights of the ruling include ordering Starbucks to do the following:

• Reinstate and make whole seven workers
• Make 27 workers whole with reimbursement for consequential harm
• Have Senior VP Denise Nelson and CEO Howard Schultz read a notice to employees or make a video for Buffalo employees
• A nationwide physical and electronic posting of a notice to employees (which can be seen at the end of the document below)
• Bargain with three units

Starbucks responded to the ruling Wednesday, saying: “We believe the decision and the remedies ordered are inappropriate given the record in this matter and are considering all options to obtain further legal review.”

On Thursday morning, Starbucks Workers United held a conference at Buffalo’s Tri-Main building detailing this decision. You can watch it in the video player above. The full decision from the National Labor Relations Board Administrative Law Judge is below.

Starbucks Unionization Efforts

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Evan Anstey is an Associated Press Award, JANY Award and Emmy-nominated digital producer who has been part of the News 4 team since 2015. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter.

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