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What I’ve Been Reading This Week


While I do want to lead things off with an update about unionization efforts at Starbucks (or more so the ramifications of those efforts), I do want to point readers to a development in Hawaii in regard to a possible mini wage hike currently working its way through the Legislature.  Without giving things away, today marks a seminal moment in the viability of that minimum wage legislation.

As always, below are a couple articles that caught my eye this week.



Last Friday, the Regional Director of the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) in Phoenix filed a lawsuit against Starbucks and moved to have three Starbucks employees reinstated.  The lawsuit alleged that these three employees these employees were unlawfully terminated (or forced to leave their positions) as a direct result of their organization efforts.  The lawsuit seeks to have an injunction issued to have these employees reinstated.  While Starbucks has denied any unlawful actions in regard to these three employees, no formal answer has yet been filed with the court.



Earlier today, it was announced that an East Village Starbucks in New York City had unionized with an 11 - 2 vote in favor of unionization.  While five additional ballots have been contested, the outcome of those ballots will not impact the result here.  As with any successful unionization, Starbucks Workers United will now negotiate a contract with Starbucks on behalf of this store’s employees.



As reported by Annalisa Burgos, today marks the day in which the Hawaii Legislature must agree upon the wording of minimum wage legislation or the bill will fall apart.  While there has been relatively widespread support for hiking the current statewide minimum wage rate of $10.10/hour, there has been some disagreement about the timeframe in which wages would raise.  Will a deal be reached and the legislation salvaged?  The clock is ticking…

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