Last April, workers at a Starbucks branch in Ithaca, New York went on strike due to repeated grease trap spills that created hazardous conditions in the store and a lack of action from management. This prompted a communication specialist from Edelman, Starbucks’ public relations firm, to send a “real-time alert” to corporate Starbucks officials flagging an article from The Ithacan that discussed the strike. Starbucks management discussed what to do with the store, and a regional director recommended closure because “the space is not meeting our partners or brand needs,” but also stated that they were considering renovation. Two months later, Starbucks permanently closed the store, with workers and federal labor enforcers accusing the company of retaliation. The change happened after the workers voted 19-1 in favor of joining Workers United, making it one of the 300 corporate-owned Starbucks stores nationwide that have been organized since late 2021. Starbucks insists that it closed the store for legitimate business reasons and not because of negative press. However, leaked emails have shed light on the internal thinking within Starbucks leading up to the closure. The emails indicate that the location was favorable and they were still considering renovation or closure. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) brought forward a sweeping complaint against the company in November 2021, citing the accusations from the union, Workers United. The NLRB’s general counsel believed the union’s claims in Ithaca had merit. While Starbucks denies any retaliation, an administrative law judge already ruled that Starbucks illegally closed a mall kiosk after it unionized. The NLRB’s general counsel has not yet announced whether the union’s allegations against nearly two dozen other closures have merit.
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