Starbucks, union trade blows over anti-union practices

Amid calls to restart contract negotiations next year, Starbucks and its union are bickering.

On Wednesday, Starbucks released the findings of an independent investigation into the company’s union practices. While the report, conducted by labor relations expert Thomas Mackall, concluded that Starbucks didn’t engage in anti-union practices, it claimed that the coffee giant has a lot of room to improve.

“The independent, third-party assessment is direct and clear that while Starbucks has had no intention to deviate from the principles of freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, there are things the company can, and should, do to improve its stated commitments and its adherence to these important principles,” the company said in a statement.

Starbucks reaffirmed its desire to restart contract negotiations with Starbucks Workers United in January. The company previously sent a letter to the union expressing a similar sentiment.

“We have asked Workers United — on behalf of our represented partners — to work with us to break the gridlock and agree to a collective bargaining process with the hopeful goal of reaching agreements in 2024,” the statement continued.

The union fired back just a few hours later with its response. SWU had a much harsher analysis of Starbucks‘ report than the company.

“Today’s report, commissioned by and paid for by Starbucks, acknowledges deep problems in the company’s response to workers organizing — including firings, retaliation, store closings and withholding of benefits from unionized workers,” the union wrote in a statement. “The report shows Starbucks has a long way to go to shift policy and deconstruct the massive anti-union apparatus that remains in place and is active today.”

The union did say it was ready to start negotiations.

Wednesday’s dueling statements are the latest in the labor battle.

Over 360 U.S. Starbucks locations are unionized, but not one of them has a contract with Starbucks. Over the past two years, both parties have accused the other of stalling talks or negotiating in bad faith.

SWU has said Starbucks‘ conditions for negotiations, including no video conferences, are too much to deal with. The company insists that its rules follow legal standards.