Employers normally have little to lose by purging organizers, even when it’s found to be illegal. This high-profile case could be different.
By Dave Jamieson, HuffPost
Starbucks fired seven union supporters at a store in Memphis, Tennessee, on Tuesday in what the union has portrayed as a retaliatory purge of the organizing committee. The terminations mark the most significant escalation in the battle between the world’s largest coffee chain and the fast-growing Starbucks Workers United campaign.
The firings made national news, but the reality is that employers fire union activists all the time – whether it’s justified or not. Labor law in the United States gives companies little to lose by ousting organizers. But due to the high profile of the Starbucks campaign, as well as recent changes at the National Labor Relations Board, this case may be different.
Starbucks insists the firings were not retaliatory. Company spokesperson Reggie Borges said the workers violated safety and security protocols by opening the store outside of business hours and allowing nonemployees in without permission. The case revolves at least in part around an interview that union supporters gave a local TV news station after hours inside a Starbucks store.
Recent Posts
It Looks Like Israel Wants To Start A Wider War
April 19, 2024
Take Action Now Provoking Iran is a strategy to distract from the ongoing slaughter of civilians in Gaza. by Stephen Zunes, The Progressive…
The U.S. Is Entering A New Phase Of Protest Suppression
April 19, 2024
Take Action Now Political repression is on the rise as the state finds new ways to criminalize dissent and collective action. by Adam Federman, In…
At UN Conference, Indigenous Peoples Say Little Has Changed After Promises Made A Decade Ago
April 19, 2024
Take Action Now Now, climate change is adding urgency to those pledges. By Anita Hofschneider, Grist In December, Catherine Muruparanga-Ikenn used…
Under UN Charter, Iran’s Attack Was A Legal Response To Israel’s Illegal Attack
April 19, 2024
Take Action Now Iran’s attack on Israel was lawful self-defense carried out in compliance with international humanitarian law. By Marjorie Cohn,…