Starbucks Could Owe Millions To Baristas Who Unionized

A new federal complaint alleges the chain slashed workers' schedules without bargaining.

Federal officials claim Starbucks cut workers’ hours at hundreds of unionized stores without bargaining over it — and they want the coffee chain to pay up.

The general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board filed a complaint late Thursday alleging that Starbucks made the scheduling changes in late 2022 and early 2023 and didn’t consult the union. As a result, shift supervisors and baristas at 290 stores saw their hours reduced.

Once workers have formed a union, it’s generally against the law for the employer to make changes to pay and scheduling without negotiation.

Starbucks insisted in a statement that it didn’t violate the law.

“We continuously review operations decisions to optimally address business needs and customer expectations, consistent with the law,” the company said. “Our decisions were made across our system, in unionized and non-unionized stores, and they were made without regard to organizing activity at Starbucks.”