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Federal labor violations reported at several Oklahoma Starbucks stores

Sorin Sirbu
/
Unsplash

The National Labor Relations Board has issued a complaint against Starbucks for labor violations at four different locations in Oklahoma.

In a press release, Starbucks Workers United said the National Labor Relations Board has investigated their complaints about the company’s federal labor violations at two stores in Oklahoma City, one in Nichols Hills, and one in Norman. The NLRB will be pursuing civil prosecution. A hearing is set for Apr. 11 in Oklahoma City.

“We are pleased that the NLRB has found merit in virtually every ULP charge we filed, further showing that Starbucks has been anything but ‘progressive’ toward workers who want a say in their workplace, not only in OKC but across the country,” Collin Pollitt, union barista and Starbucks Workers United organizer from Oklahoma City, said in a written statement.

The complaint makes a half dozen allegations about Starbucks management in Central Oklahoma including:

  • Interrogating workers about union activity
  • Threatening loss of previously announced pay raises and benefits if workers unionized
  • Promising increased benefits and improved working conditions if workers refrained from union activity
  • Threatening disciplinary action if workers posted union literature in-store
  • Selectively enforcing strict policies on pro-union workers

This follows Starbucks CEO Howard Shultz agreeing to testify to a U.S. Senate committee investigating Starbucks’ labor practices.

Updated: March 15, 2023 at 5:13 PM CDT
The Apr. 11 hearing is set for Oklahoma City, not Texas.
Hannah France is a reporter and producer for KGOU.
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