A federal judge ordered Thursday that the seven Memphis Starbucks employees who were fired for attempting to organize a union must be reinstated.
Federal Judge Sheryl Lipman ruled that Starbucks must fully reinstate the group, which because known as the Memphis 7, within five days. Lipman ordered Starbucks to no longer engage in the type of activities that gave rise to the case. Those activities include discharging, disciplining, or discriminating against employees because of their union support and activities.
The Memphis 7 were fired from the Starbucks store at Poplar and Highland. Five of them were members of the organizing committee. Advocates said that after they were fired, Starbucks fired over 80 union leaders across the country, and shuttered three union stores.
“We’re beyond thankful the federal court ruled in our favor, and this just goes to show that Starbucks will do everything in their power to silence us,” said Nabretta Hardin, a lead organizer from the Poplar and Highland store. “Memphis is a union town. We remain the only store to have organized in Memphis for fear of workers being fired like we were.
“We hope this ruling brings comfort to our partners in the Memphis area and shows them the power they can have in a union. There is no need to fear retaliation because the [National Labor Relations Board – NLRB] will protect them as they have protected us.”
The NLRB charged Starbucks with a number of federal labor law violations. The agency is now prosecuting Starbucks on 20 administrative complaints across the country.
