US court orders Starbucks to reinstate union-supporting workers at Tennessee cafe
US federal court on Thursday ordered Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) to reinstate its seven employees at a Memphis, Tennessee, cafe who were allegedly fired for supporting a union organizing campaign, as the company seeks to halt pending nationwide union elections.
U.S. District Judge Sheryl Lipman in Memphis said the U.S. National Labor Relations Board had provided enough evidence that the firings earlier this year were motivated by anti-union animus. Lipman granted the order pending the outcome of an administrative case before the board.

Starbucks said in a statement on Thursday it disagreed with the ruling and planned to appeal. The company said the workers were fired for violating company safety policies and that it respected the unionization process.
NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo in a statement called the decision âa 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.â
The board is considering scores of other complaints alleging Starbucks interfered with workersâ organizing rights in various ways, including by closing stores and firing or disciplining union supporters.