Starbucks Workers United continues to fight back against Starbucks’ historic and unrelenting union busting. Starbucks, the worst violator of labor law in modern history, continues to undermine union baristas’ collective voice through intimidation, retaliation, and unlawful unilateral changes.
In September 2025, an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) declared that Starbucks “engaged in a scorched earth campaign and pattern of misconduct in response to union organizing at its stores across the United States…I take notice that despite several Board orders and dozens of ALJ decisions, Respondent’s behavior continues unabated.”
Since Starbucks Workers United baristas launched their nationwide unfair labor practice (ULP) strike last November, Workers United has filed more than 30 new ULP charges against Starbucks—including 23 charges alleging unlawful terminations and targeted retaliation against baristas for engaging in protected union activity that occurred prior to the strike.
Union Busting During a Lawful ULP Strike
While union baristas engaged in their lawful, nationwide ULP strike, six recent ULP charges allege that various Starbucks managers illegally intimidated, interrogated, retaliated, threatened, and called the police on baristas who were lawfully exercising their protected right to strike.
As one ULP charge states, Starbucks’ conduct “demonstrates a wanton disregard for public resources, a disrespect for the role of law enforcement in our communities, and a violation of the National Labor Relations Act.”
Unilateral Policy Changes Without Bargaining
In addition, Workers United has filed two new nationwide ULP charges over Starbucks’ unilateral policy changes made without bargaining with the Union. Workers United has also filed three additional local and regional ULP charges related to unilateral changes, including hours cuts targeting pro-union workers.
Starbucks’ unlawful unilateral policy changes are allegations of violations of labor law that undermine union baristas’ collective voice.
Taken together, these new charges further demonstrate that Starbucks’ unlawful labor practices continue. Union baristas remain determined to hold Starbucks accountable for illegal union busting and to secure a fair first contract.
