Starbucks could be forced to reopen some stores in the Seattle area
by Jackie Kent, KOMO News Reporter
Thursday, December 14, 2023
FILE – The logo on a sign outside the Starbucks cafe, March 14, 2022, in Londonderry, NH (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)
SEATTLE-
Eight previously closed Starbucks locations in the Seattle area may soon reopen following a complaint from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) alleging that the coffee giant unlawfully closed 23 union and non-union stores nationwide.
As part of the complaint, the board's attorney is demanding that Starbucks reopen stores, give union employees their jobs back and take other remedial measures to compensate employees for their financial losses. Seven of the stores are in Seattle and one is in Everett.
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An NLRB spokesperson said in an emailed statement to KOMO News that Starbucks closed the unionized stores without giving the union a chance to negotiate the decision.
“This complaint is the latest confirmation of Starbucks’ determination to illegally resist worker organizing,” a Starbucks union member wrote in a press release. “It adds to the litany of complaints detailed in the company’s own report released this morning. If Starbucks is sincere in its recent efforts to forge a different relationship with its partners, this is exactly the type of illegal behavior it must stop.”
In response, Starbucks denied any wrongdoing.
“As a company, we respect our partners’ right to organize, associate freely, participate in lawful union activities and bargain collectively without fear of reprisal or retaliation,” Starbucks said in a statement. “Importantly, we are committed to engaging in good faith collective bargaining for every store where a union has been appropriately certified – and have shared our goal of reaching ratified contracts for union-represented stores in 2024.”
“Furthermore, we firmly believe that the allegations are without merit, and the company plans to defend our lawful business decisions at an eventual hearing (by the NLRB administrative law judge) on this matter.”
Starbucks claims the closures were the result of regular store reviews “that evaluate the health and overall presence of our store portfolio.” “The difficult decision to close a store follows a comprehensive review process designed to improve the Starbucks experience we provide to our partners and customers – and is done without regard to union status,” the company spokesperson said.
If an agreement cannot be reached between the parties, the case is scheduled to go before an NLRB administrative law judge on August 20.
The company said 14 of the closed stores were unrepresented and had not filed petitions. Of the eight Seattle-area stores, the four listed below have never been represented by Starbucks Workers United:
- 2300 South Jackson Street, Seattle (23rd and Jackson)
- 6417 Roosevelt Way Northeast, Seattle (Roosevelt Square)
- 400 Pine Street, Seattle (Westlake Center)
- 11802 Evergreen Way, Everett, Washington (Highway 99 and Airport Road)
In total, seven locations were represented by Starbucks Workers United at the time of the store's closure, including four in Seattle:
- 1600 East Olive Way, Seattle
- 505 5th Avenue South, Seattle (505 Union Station)
- 101 Broadway East, Seattle (Broadway and Denny)
- 9999 Holman Road Northwest, Seattle (Holman Road)
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