Starbucks accuses labor board of unfairly helping pro-union workers
Starbucks is accusing the National Labor Relations Board of "unfairly helping workers unionize," The Seattle Times writes.
Workers at several Starbucks locations have been pushing to unionize in recent months, meaning the NLRB, the federal agency in charge of managing union elections, has been working with a growing number of the coffee giant's branches.
According to the Seattle Times, Starbucks claims labor board officials "arranged for in-person voting in NLRB offices during mail-in elections, gave the Workers United union confidential information about vote counts and collaborated with the union to increase pro-union votes," all of which it considers misconduct that could skew vote results in favor of unionization. This misconduct allegedly occurred in Kansas City, Seattle, and Buffalo, New York.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"In light of these types of misconduct by NLRB personnel, we request the Board immediately suspend all Starbucks mail-ballot elections nationwide ... until there has been a thorough investigation," Starbucks wrote in a letter to the NLRB, reports CNN.
The NLRB has not commented on the dispute, as it "does not comment on open cases," CNN reports per director and press secretary Kayla Blado.
Meanwhile, employees of the company's location in Lakewood, California, went on a one-day strike Monday. This was one of 55 strikes in 17 different states in which workers have been fighting for better treatment from the company, NBCLA reports.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kelsee Majette has worked as a social media editor at The Week since 2022. In 2019, she got her start in local television as a digital producer and fill-in weather reporter at NTV News. Kelsee also co-produced a lifestyle talk show while working in Nebraska and later transitioned to 13News Now as a digital content producer.
-
'A great culture will be lost if the EV brigade gets its way'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Visa and Mastercard agree to lower swipe fees
Speed Read The companies will cap the fees they charge businesses when customers use their credit cards
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
What does 'Quiet on the Set' mean for the future of kids' TV?
In the Spotlight A new documentary exposes the 'dark underbelly' of Nickelodeon productions
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Visa and Mastercard agree to lower swipe fees
Speed Read The companies will cap the fees they charge businesses when customers use their credit cards
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Reddit IPO values social media site at $6.4 billion
Speed Read The company makes its public debut on the New York Stock Exchange
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Housing costs: the root of US economic malaise?
speed read Many voters are troubled by the housing affordability crisis
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Germany's transportation industry grinds to a halt as workers strike
The Explainer The country's railways and airports are both at a standstill as union members walk off the job
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Feds cap credit card late fees at $8
speed read The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule to save households an estimated $10 billion a year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Immigration helped the US economy outpace peers
speed read The U.S. economy grew at an annualized rate of 3.2% last quarter
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
4-day workweek gets boost from UK study
Speed Read Following a six-month trial, the majority of participating British companies are still using the truncated schedule
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US sues to block Kroger-Albertsons merger
Speed Read The Federal Trade Commission sued to block the $24.6 billion merger between the grocery giants
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published