In December of last year Starbucks Corp. was found guilty of violating federal labor laws. The National Labor Relations Board ruling was a result of the firm's attempts to prevent unionizing at several Starbucks locations in New York City. The trial revealed high tensions between Starbucks baristas and managers. The company has been unionized before, but health care benefits, stock options, and retirement plans changed that in 1992. Company executives hoped their above and beyond treatment of workers would keep unions out ? but many employee supporters of the Starbucks Workers Union claim the company fails to provide stable work hours or high enough wages.
See "Starbucks spars over union", Andrea James, Seattle Post Intelligencer, February 16, 2009