Starbucks is changing course on unionization, with the announcement March 19 that the company and the Starbucks union would resume in-person bargaining in late April, with the aim of achieving a “foundational framework agreement.”
According to The Guardian, Starbucks said there would be “bargaining delegates representing more than 400” unionized Starbucks stores.
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has filed 128 complaints against Starbucks, accusing it of more than 1,000 violations of the law, among them, firing dozens of baristas in retaliation for supporting the union. Starbucks denies any wrongdoing.
Starbucks has for years been cited by experts as the most aggressive union-buster, so the news will boost confidence in unionization at other retailers that have resisted it, including Amazon, Trader Joe’s and the outdoor sports retailer REI, The Guardian said.
