New Orleans Starbucks Fires Worker Leading Unionization Effort | Eater New Orleans

"Three weeks after hourly workers at the 7700 Maple Street Starbucks filed for union recognition, the shift supervisor who helped lead the effort, Billie Nyx, was fired; Nyx says Starbucks attributed the firing to their decision to close early during Jazz Fest when the store was understaffed. Nyx, who has worked at the University-area store for three years, says they were asked to run the store with just two people on a busier-than-average weekend evening and ultimately closed the store three hours early on Sunday, May 1 after delivery orders overwhelmed staff, having notified managers and the district manager by phone; Nyx calls the firing a “deliberate and strategic move” two weeks before the store’s union vote and says they’ve been the most vocal organizer and have helped organizers at other stores. Starbucks responded that Nyx was fired “for closing our location early without business justification and against the direct instructions of two store managers,” referred to Nyx by a non-preferred name, and denied any anti-union activity, saying shift supervisors are expected to uphold the “Starbucks Experience.” The store is the first in Louisiana to file with the NLRB (10 of 16 partners signed the petition), its union vote is scheduled for June 3–4, Nyx is filing an unfair labor practices charge and will be unable to vote unless reinstated, and Nyx asks customers to make their disapproval known and to tip the remaining workers who will have extra work now." - Clair Lorell