FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 14, 2023

MEDIA CONTACT

General, starbucksmedia@workers-united.org

Local, Chris Flink, flink@seiu1021.org, 510-701-9637

Federal judge issues decision ordering Starbucks to cease & desist interrogating and threatening workers

SAN FRANCISCO, CA –  On July 31, 2023, Administrative Law Judge Gerald Michael Etchington of the NLRB issued a decision against Starbucks regarding pre-election misconduct at the Castro & 18th Street store in San Francisco, CA. The store filed to unionize on June 6, 2022 and won their union election 7-2 on August 16, 2022.

 The judge’s remedy included an order directing Starbucks to cease and desist from interrogating workers, threatening them with stricter enforcement of policies, and refusing to promote union leaders. The judge also ordered Starbucks to backdate union leader Forrest Kreiss’ promotion to July 2022 and provide back pay for unearned promotion wages.

“This decision is an important step in holding Starbucks accountable for their illegal conduct,” said Kyle Trainer, a barista at the 18th and Castro store. “Despite Starbucks’ efforts to intimidate unionizing workers, our union continues to grow, as we saw with Friday’s election victory at another San Francisco Starbucks store – the 351st store in the nation to win our union.”

Administrative law judges have issued 22 decisions finding that Starbucks committed more than 230 federal labor law violations, including 30 unlawful firings. The NLRB has issued 82 additional complaints against Starbucks still awaiting disposition by administrative judges, encompassing about 240 charges and alleging over 1,350 violations, including more than 70 firings.

Since December 2021, over 350 Starbucks stores in 41 states and the District of Columbia have successfully unionized, including another San Francisco Starbucks store, on 9th and Irving, on Friday, August 11.

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