CX- Starbucks Closure 1

Federal labor regulators are demanding that Starbucks reopen 23 cafes across the United States, including 8 in Washington state. Starbucks cited safety concerns for some closures, but the union representing Starbucks workers claims it was due to union activity. A barista from a closed store in Seattle believes it was retaliatory. Starbucks argues that store closures are complex and not solely related to unions. The case will be heard by an administrative law judge next year. Federal labor regulators are demanding that Starbucks reopens 23 cafes across the United States. Eight of those are located in Washington state. The company has cited safety concerns for some of the closures, but Workers United, the union representing many Starbucks workers, argues the coffee chain shut down certain stores because of union activity. 28-year-old Mari Cosgrove worked as a barista at one of the impacted stores in Seattle. Cosgrove says because workers at the union station store won an election within months of the closure, the move felt retaliatory. Starbucks says the decision to shut down any store is complicated and points out that the company has also opted to close stores not involved in union activity. The issue is expected to go before an administrative law judge within the National Labor Relations Board next year.