Starbucks Corp.

Starbucks Corp.

Seattle, WA: (Jun-21-07) The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) filed charges against Starbucks Corp., on behalf of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), who alleged that the coffee company unlawfully interfered with their workers right to organize. Though several charges have been filed against Starbucks, a recent one involved a former barista, or coffee preparer, who was terminated in November 2006, allegedly for her union activity.

The complaint stated that the barista, Isis Saenz, was terminated because she supported and assisted the union, and engaged in concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining. The IWW asserted that Saenz was terminated after participating in a public protest where the company chairman was attending a book release event. The other charges contained in the consolidated complaint allege a pattern of anti-union behavior by Starbucks managers because the affected employees supported the union; selectively enforcing workplace rules on body piercing and clothing, evaluating employees negatively and terminating them on the basis of those evaluations, prohibiting employees from discussing work conditions with other employees while at work, and implementing rules on wearing pro-union buttons at work.

In a settlement reached, the company has paid $165,000 to settle charges without admitting wrongdoing. Starbucks is said to have agreed to another settlement with the NLRB to rehire two workers and pay several others to settle similar charges by the IWW. [ASSOCIATED CONTENT: ANTI-UNION]

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Published on Jun-27-07