Supreme Court to Hear Starbucks Labor Ruling Challenge

The Supreme Court will hear Starbucks' challenge today to a federal judge’s order to reinstate workers who were trying to unionize in Memphis, reports The New York Times.

The case stems from the firing of seven workers in February 2022 who let local journalists into a closed store to conduct interviews about their efforts to unionize.

Starbucks said the workers were fired for admitting the journalists into the store which violated several company policies. Starbucks Workers United, the union representing the workers, filed an unfair labor practice charge over the firings, arguing that Starbucks selectively enforced the rules against organized workers. The National Labor Relations Board issued a complaint two months later.

A federal judge granted the labor board’s request to reinstate the workers while proceedings over the firings play out, which could take years. An appellate judge upheld the reinstatements last year, and the company requested the Supreme Court review. The high court agreed to hear the case in January. Full story