News & Commentary February 14, 2023

[Omaha Steve]

https://onlabor.org/february-14-2023/

By Travis Lavenski

Travis Lavenski is a student at Harvard Law School.

Happy Valentine’s Day OnLabor readers! In today’s news & commentary, the Labor Board finds Starbucks illegally threatened and punished two Philadelphia workers; workers at a California Medieval Times location go on strike over unfair labor practices; and Tesla workers in Buffalo signal their intent to organize.

The NLRB has ruled Starbucks violated federal labor laws at two Philadelphia stores in an attempt to undermine organizing drives at those stores. Among the unlawful activities engaged in by Starbucks included terminating two union supporting workers, reducing union supporters’ work hours, and prohibiting concerted complaints about store conditions. Notably, the NLRB ruling provides for relief beyond the traditional reinstatement and backpay remedy, requiring the company to pay for “direct or foreseeable pecuniary harms incurred as a result of the unlawful adverse actions against them, including reasonable search-for-work and interim employment expenses.” The decision is in accordance with a recent ruling, Thryv Inc., 372 NLRB No. 22 (2022), which provided that the make-whole remedy is incomplete without providing relief for the significant costs that occur due to termination, including credit card debt and medical expenses.

FULL story at link above.