Starbucks has been ordered to reinstate seven workers who were fired earlier this year after attempting to unionize.
The workers were fired from their Memphis location in February, after Starbucks said they violated company safety and security policies by keeping the store open after hours and letting a TV camera crew inside to conduct interviews about the unionization efforts.
On Thursday, a U.S. District Judge ruled that Starbucks had violated labor laws and ordered the workers be reinstated within five days, the Associated Press reported.
The judge agreed with the National Labor Relations Board, which said Starbucks was unlawfully interfering in the workers' right to organize.
Starbucks plans to appeal the decision. The company is also requesting a stay of the opinion, which would delay the employees' reinstatement while the appeal is considered, according to the AP.
"These individuals violated numerous policies and failed to maintain a secure work environment and safety standards," the company said in a statement. "Interest in a union does not exempt partners from following policies that are in place to protect partners, our customers and the communities we serve."
The employees allegedly opened a locked door, remained in the store after hours without authorization, allowed other unauthorized individuals inside the store after it closed, and allowed the unauthorized individuals in restricted areas of the store.
The employees argued that Starbucks was selectively enforcing policies and that some of the violations were common practice, such as off-duty employees checking the schedules posted in the back of the store.
"[The] federal court decision ordering Starbucks to reinstate the seven unlawfully fired Starbucks workers in Memphis is a crucial step in ensuring that these workers, and all Starbucks workers, can freely exercise their right to join together to improve their working conditions and form a union," National Labor Relations Board General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo said in a statement.
More than 220 Starbucks stores have voted to unionize in the last year. A Starbucks in Buffalo, NY became the first to unionize in December 2021.
Starbucks, which is against its stores unionizing, has faced multiple allegations of illegally interfering with workers' rights -- including more than 200 violations of the National Labor Relations Act.
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