Starbucks, workers union trade lawsuits over Israel-Hamas war

Starbucks filed a federal lawsuit against Workers United in Iowa on Wednesday after the union used Starbucks branding in a social media post about the war. The message “Solidarity with Palestine!” was posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Oct. 9 by an account called Starbucks Workers United. The coffee company is now suing the union, saying it is not authorized to use the Starbucks name. Starbucks is arguing the post hurt its reputation and business by angering customers, saying that it received over 1,000 complaints since the post. The company “unequivocally condemns acts of hate, terrorism, and violence,” Starbucks Executive Vice President Sara Kelly wrote in a letter to employees.

Why is the union suing? Workers United filed a federal lawsuit in Pennsylvania on Wednesday, petitioning for the right to use the company name and a similarly-branded logo. The union also sued for defamation, arguing that Starbucks implied that Workers United supports terrorism in Kelly’s statement. Workers United President Lynne Fox also accused Starbucks of exploiting the Israel-Hamas war to “bolster the company’s anti-union campaign.”

Dig deeper: Read Jerry Bowyer’s column in WORLD Opinions on Starbucks’ conflict with unionized workers.