Tuesday, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) announced a decision that overturned only one of four appeals Starbucks had made. A New York state judge had ruled that work rules were unfairly imposed on New York employees who supported unionization and ordered the company to reinstate several employees, and to post notices informing employees of their rights to organization. The NLRB agreed with the New York judge on three of the four appealed decisions, but sided with Starbucks in the case of one employee, let go in October 2006, and said she should not have her job reinstated. Union members call the NLRB decision "a great victory," while Starbucks says that, although they are happy with the one decision that went their way, they are considering a second appeal for the others.
See "Starbucks loses three of four items it appealed to National Labor Relations Board", Melissa Allison, The Seattle Times, November 3, 2009