19 October 2023 , 09:35
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Starbucks and Workers United union are in a legal tussle over a social media post supporting Palestine.
Starbucks has taken the union to court, claiming that a pro-Palestinian post from the union during the Israel-Hamas conflict upset many customers and tarnished its image.
The coffee giant is accusing the union of trademark infringement and wants them to stop using the name "Starbucks Workers United" and a logo similar to Starbucks'. In response, Workers United has filed its own lawsuit, asking a court to allow it to continue using Starbucks' name and a similar logo. They also claim that Starbucks defamed the union by suggesting it supports terrorism and violence.
On Oct. 9, two days after Hamas militants rampaged across communities in southern Israel, Starbucks Workers United posted "Solidarity with Palestine!" on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Workers United - a Philadelphia-based affiliate of the Service Employees International Union - said in its lawsuit that workers put up the tweet without the authorization of union leaders. The post was up for about 40 minutes before it was deleted.
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Starbucks, the Seattle-based coffee giant, has filed a lawsuit against Workers United for using its name and logo. The company claims that posts and retweets from local Starbucks Workers United branches supporting Palestinians and condemning Israel were still visible on X Wednesday.
In response to a letter sent by Starbucks on Oct. 13 demanding the union stop using its name and similar logo, Workers United stated that their page on X clearly identifies it as a union. "Starbucks is seeking to exploit the ongoing tragedy in the Middle East to bolster the company's anti-union campaign," wrote Lynne Fox, President of Workers United, in a letter to Starbucks.
The lawsuit also mentioned that unions often use the company name of the workers they represent, citing examples like the Amazon Labour Union and the National Football League Players Association.
Starbucks reported receiving over 1,000 complaints about the union's post, leading to hostile customers, threatening phone calls, and vandalism at a Rhode Island store. This has led some lawmakers, including Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, to call for boycotts of Starbucks. "If you go to Starbucks, you are supporting killing Jews," tweeted Florida state Rep. Randy Fine, a Republican, on Oct. 11.
Starbucks has voiced its concern for the innocent victims of the war in both Israel and Gaza. "Starbucks unequivocally condemns acts of hate, terrorism and violence," penned Starbucks Executive Vice President Sara Kelly in a recent letter to staff.
Workers United hasn't made an official statement yet. However, its parent company, the SEIU, expressed on Tuesday that it has members with family ties on both sides of the conflict. They believe "all Israelis and Palestinians deserve safety, freedom from violence, and the opportunity to thrive."
Starbucks Workers United has been active since August 2021, just before it unionised its first Starbucks store in Buffalo, New York. Since then, at least 366 U.S. Starbucks have voted to unionise. This movement sparked a series of labour protests by Amazon workers, Hollywood writers, actors and auto workers.
However, Starbucks isn't backing unionisation and hasn't reached a labour agreement at any of its unionised stores yet. The process has been fraught with tension, leading to multiple strikes. Federal district judges and administrative judges with the National Labour Relations Board have issued 38 decisions finding unfair labour practices by Starbucks, including delaying negotiations and withholding benefits from unionised workers.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]