The labor struggle at Starbucks has reached a boiling point with the Supreme Court poised to decide on a significant case that could dampen workers' rights to unionize. In a case that kicked off when the coffee behemoth terminated seven Memphis employees attempting to organize, the justices gave indications during oral arguments on Tuesday that they may be leaning toward the company.
At the heart of the case are the 'Memphis 7,' fired by Starbucks in February 2022, shortly after announcing their intent to unionize. According to FOX13 Memphis, Starbucks justified the firings by alleging policy violations, including allowing a TV news crew into the store post-closing. The workers, however, argue their dismissal directly attacked their rights to organize.
The Supreme Court's decision does not revolve around the legality of the firings but rather whether the lower court erred in ordering their reinstatement during ongoing investigations. As USA Today reports, during the hearing, Justice Neil Gorsuch questioned why the National Labor Relations Board's (NLRB) particular statutory regime should differ from others, saying, "In all sorts of alphabet soup agencies, we don't do this."
A ruling favoring Starbucks could set a precedent that weakens the leverage of the NLRB, which has traditionally stepped in on behalf of workers during unionization conflicts. This comes against the backdrop of renewed bargaining talks between Starbucks and Workers United, as reported by FOX13 Memphis, with hopes of reaching new contract agreements. Despite this, none of the 420 company-owned Starbucks stores that have voted to unionize since late 2021 have solidified a labor contract with the coffee giant.
Florentino Escobar, one of the Memphis 7, expressed his disbelief regarding the magnitude of their case in an interview with WGBH News, saying, "I was like, 'Wait, the Supreme Court? Like we're talking the U.S. Supreme Court?'" Starbucks' appeal to the Supreme Court followed a district court and the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rulings that upheld the baristas' temporary reinstatement. A decision by the high court is expected by the end of June and could potentially reshape the framework of labor organizing across a wide array of U.S. industries.
