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Baristas at the company's cafes in at least seven other cities
have said since last fall that they also want to organize.
The union, called Workers United, had challenged several ballots
for the Genesee Street location because it claimed the employees
actually worked at a different store. The National Labor
Relations Board (NLRB) agreed with Workers United that the
ballots should be tossed out, making the final vote 15-9 in
favor of the union.
The global coffee chain has 10 days to ask for a review of the
NLRB's decision.
"We've been clear in our belief that we are better together as
partners, without a union between us at Starbucks, and that
conviction has not changed," a spokesman said.
The company is evaluating its options and believes the employees
whose ballots were set aside should be able to vote, he said.
Employees at the first Buffalo store to be certified, on Elmwood
Avenue, walked out a week ago in protest at what they said were
unsafe, understaffed conditions amid a new wave of COVID-19
infections that has sickened workers and slowed service at many
restaurants.
They went back to work on Monday.
"We said we weren't going to put customers or partners at risk
until we had enough staff to operate safely. As of Monday, we
believe we can now do that," said Michelle Eisen, a union
organizer and employee at the store.
The store also returned to the more frequent hand washing and
cafe sanitization routines that employees had requested, said
Jaz Brisack, a barista there.
(Reporting by Hilary Russ; Editing by Sandra Maler)
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