Union claims Starbucks illegally closed cafes to retaliate, Bloomberg reports

A pro-union poster is seen on a lamp pole outside a Starbucks Broadway and Denny’s location in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood on March 22, 2022.

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labor union starbucks is claiming that the coffee chain is closing down unionized cafes recently in retaliation for its proactive efforts, Bloomberg News reported,

It’s the latest escalation between the fast-growing national labor movement and the coffee giant.

Workers United, the union that is supporting the organizing effort at Starbucks, reportedly said in a filing with the National Labor Relations Board on Friday that Starbucks violated federal labor law by permanently closing an Ithaca, New York, store. doing. The group alleged that this was in retaliation since the staff at the location Voted to form union in Aprilaccording to organization Twitter account,

Starbucks did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment. The company told Bloomberg that the closure resulted from issues with facilities, staff and “time and attendance” rather than its union activity.

According to the report, the union is asking the agency to seek a federal court injunction to quickly halt or reverse the store closures.

About 100 Starbucks cafes have voted to unionize under Workers United, while only 14 locations have voted against unionizing. Workers United announced this week that it was building a $1 million fund To cover the lost pay for the barista who went on strike.

CNBC previously reported that Workers United has filed at least 175 complaints against the coffee chain for unfair labor practices. Starbucks has denied wrongdoing.

Read the full Bloomberg News report here.

— CNBC’s Amelia Lucas contributed to this report.