KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Officials at Starbucks claim that union members conspired with National Labor Relations Board personnel to hinder union elections at an Overland Park location.
In a 14-page letter, Starbucks claims that a long-time NLRB employee notified it of the wrong doing by the NLRB Region 14, which has an office in Overland Park.
The NLRB is the federal agency that enforces labor law and conducts union vote elections.
NBC News reports that more than 220 Starbucks cafes in the U.S. have voted to unionize, according to an NLRB tally as of Friday.
Starbucks has requested that the NLRB halt all union election nationwide pending an investigation.
Starbucks alleged the following misconduct:
- Secret in-person voting in NLRB offices
- Providing the union duplicate—and triplicate—ballot
- Individualized voting arrangements for select voters
- Disclosing non-public real-time information to the union regarding votes receive
- Mishandling of ballots
- Concealment of misconduct and lack of neutrality
"The career NLRB professional has truthfully reported events corroborating the misconduct described above," Starbucks said in the letter. "This individual is aware of documents outlining with specificity a concerted effort to tip the scales in voting to favor the Union in a Kansas City area (Overland Park) store election."
On Aug. 1, staff members at the Overland Park store located at 10201 W 75th street went on strikes alleging staff members were retaliated against for unionizing.
KSHB 41 has reached out union leaders who were involved in unionization efforts at the Overland Park location and to a representative with the NLRB.
A spokeswoman with the NLRB sent KSHB 41 the following statement:
The NLRB does not comment on open cases. The agency has well-established processes to raise challenges regarding the handling of both election matters and unfair labor practice cases. Those challenges should be raised in filings specific to the particular matters in question. The regional staff – and, ultimately, the Board – will carefully and objectively consider any challenges raised through these established channels, which include opportunities to seek expedited review in both representation and unfair labor practice cases.
KSHB 41 also received the following statement from union leaders:
"Today, Starbucks released an absurd letter to the NLRB asking the Board to temporarily halt union elections across the country and alleging misconduct on behalf of the Board and Workers United," a spokesperson said in part in an email. "This is Starbucks yet again attempting to distract attention away from their unprecedented anti-union campaign, including firing over 75 union leaders across the country, while simultaneously trying to halt all union elections."
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