Starbucks illegally fired four baristas in Pittsburgh who supported unionization according to a National Labor Relations Board decision that ordered their reinstatement.

In a June 30 ruling, NLRB administrative law judge Robert Ringler found that Starbucks management had repeatedly engaged in anti-union activity at four of the company’s Pittsburgh locations — Craig Street (Oakland), Market Square, Penn Center East and Bloomfield.

Former Market Square employees Tori Tambellini and Kimberly Manfre were reinstated as well as former Penn Center East employees Brett Taborelli and James Greene.

As part of the ruling, Starbucks has been ordered to cease and desist its “serious and widespread” unfair labor practices, including implied surveillance of union activities, threats to fire pro-union employees and unequal enforcement of attendance and dress code policies.

“It was great to finally get this ruling because we’ve all known since day one that our terminations were illegal,” Tambellini said. “It just felt like a searing indictment of Starbucks.”

Starbucks disagrees with the decision and will undertake a “full legal review” of the allegations, a company spokesperson said.

“Starbucks trains managers that no partner will be disciplined for engaging in lawful union activity and that there will be no tolerance for any unlawful anti-union behavior,” the spokesperson added.

New petitions for representation at Starbucks locations have slowed substantially since mid-2022 as claims of union busting surfaced and bargaining efforts made little headway. Tambellini hopes the decision will help reverse that trend.

“We’re hoping that it inspires [workers] to not be scared and not fear this union-busting campaign that Starbucks is running,” Tambellini said.

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