Starbucks Ban on Union Flyers Violated Law, NLRB Judge Rules

Starbucks Corp. illegally instructed workers at a Missouri cafe to stop posting pro-union materials in the back of the store, a National Labor Relations Board judge ruled.

Administrative Law Judge Christine Dibble on Tuesday rejected Starbucks’ argument that NLRB lawyers engaged in improper serial litigation because it raised the same allegation against the company in an Arizona-based case.

Just because NLRB lawyers litigated a charge that Starbucks violated federal labor law with its enforcement of a solicitation-and-distribution rule in one location doesn’t block agency lawyers from going after the company for illegally enforcing the rule at any of its ...