Starbucks has recently awarded pay raises and new benefits, such as equipment upgrades and dress code flexibility, to nonunionized stores and workers. The interim Starbucks CEO claims it is not possible to provide these changes at locations that have unions or are currently unionizing. However, the NLRB argues that this was done intentionally to discourage union organizing at Starbucks stores, and therefore, violates workers' rights under the NLRA to unionize freely without interference. As a result, the NLRB is currently seeking back pay for the affected unionized employees and requesting that Starbucks educate its employees on their labor rights.
See "NLRB accuses Starbucks of violating workers' rights under NLRA", Lauren Gurley, The Washington Post, August 25, 2022