'Fear of retaliation will exist unless the Memphis Seven, apparently terminated for their union support, are reinstated'
Starbucks’ challenge to a ruling requiring it to reinstate seven fired workers has been denied.
The Ohio-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday issued its opinion, noting that Starbucks’ firing of the seven workers was an act of retaliation for their unionizing efforts.
“Fear of retaliation will exist unless the Memphis Seven, apparently terminated for their union support, are reinstated,” say Chief Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton, Senior Judge Danny J. Boggs and Judge Chad A. Readler.
In early 2022, Starbucks fired seven workers in its Memphis, TN branch. Stakeholders criticized the coffee giant for the move, saying it was done in a union-busting effort.
The coffee giant was previously ordered to reinstate the workers, but it appealed its case.
Starbucks’ staff in Memphis was pushing for unionization early in 2022. It came to a head on Jan. 17 when Nikki Taylor, a shift supervisor at the Memphis Store, facilitated a Zoom meeting between coworkers interested in forming a union-organizing committee.
They authored a letter addressed to Kevin Johnson, who was then Starbucks CEO, announcing their intent to unionize. On Jan. 18, the letter to CEO Johnson was posted on social media. The workers held a media event that same day at the Starbucks location. Store management learned of the media event the next day, and...
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