Federal Judge Orders Starbucks to Reinstate Fired Workers, Reopen Shuttered Location, and Stop Infringing on Workers’ Rights

In a major victory for labor groups, a federal labor judge has ordered Starbucks to reinstate seven fired workers, reopen a shuttered location, and stop infringing on workers’ rights after finding that the company violated labor laws “hundreds of times” during a unionization campaign in Buffalo, New York.

Administrative Law Judge Michael Rosas of the National Labor Relations Board issued the decision late Wednesday, requiring Starbucks to post a 13-page notice listing its labor violations and workers’ rights in all U.S. stores. The notice must also be read or be present at a reading of employees’ rights and distributed a recording of the reading, with Starbucks’ interim CEO Howard Schultz required to be present.

Judge Rosas said Starbucks showed a “general disregard for employees’ fundamental rights” amid 32 unfair labor charges made by employees in New York. The decision comes after over 200,000 U.S. workers went on strike in 2022 to protest the company’s labor practices.

The ruling is a significant win for labor groups, who have long accused Starbucks of violating labor laws and attempting to prevent unionization. The company has been ordered to take immediate steps to remedy the violations and ensure that workers’ rights are respected.

Starbucks has yet to comment on the ruling, but labor groups have praised the decision as a major step forward in protecting workers’ rights. The ruling is expected to have a major impact on the labor movement and could set a precedent for other companies facing similar charges.