Starbucks forced to rehire employee it fired for ‘unionising’ with back pay

An employee at Starbucks’ Ann Arbor, Michigan was wrongfully terminated, according to a National Labor Relations Board judge’s decision on Friday.

Starbucks was ordered by the judge to reinstate the sacked employee with back pay after finding that the company ‘behaved with animus’ when it fired the individual.

A meeting with the staff, management, and government representatives will also be required. During this meeting, a notice regarding workers’ rights will be read, and Starbucks will be required to reiterate the agency’s claim that it broke the law.

Hannah Whitbeck, the employee in question was fired because she helped build support for unionising the Ann Arbor store.

‘I would hope that they learn their lesson, that firing people because they want to start a union is not going to solve their problems. In fact, it’s only going to make it worse.’ Whitbeck was quoted as saying by Bloomberg.

This is not the first time a court has mandated that Starbucks re-hire workers who were wrongfully terminated.

According to reports, a US federal court commanded the business to reinstate its seven employees who were also fired for organising a union in August.