Starbucks Sues Pro-Palestinian Baristas' Union

Starbucks on Wednesday sued a self-described "progressive" union made up of about 9,000 baristas and other employees for using the coffee giant's name and logo while supporting Palestine after the Hamas terror organization, which rules the Gaza Strip, launched a devastating sneak attack against Israel.

Starbucks sued the union, Starbucks Workers United, accusing it of using the company's name and logo when it posted on social media an image of a bulldozer tearing down a portion of the Israel-Gaza border with the text: "Solidarity with Palestine!" The Union chapters in Iowa, Chicago and Boston also promoted rallies in support of Palestinians.

On October 7, Hamas led the deadliest Palestinian militant attack on Israel in history. Israel subsequently launched its heaviest ever airstrikes on Gaza. At least 4,500 people have been killed in Israel and Gaza and about 200 Israelis, including children, have been taken hostage.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa in Davenport, Iowa, also lists Service Employees International Union, Workers United, and Iowa City Starbucks Workers United as plaintiffs.

Also on Wednesday, Workers United filed a complaint against Starbucks in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The group asks for a jury to issue a declaratory judgment that it may continue to use the Starbucks Workers United name and logo.

The union's actions also claim that Starbucks has defamed its members by publicly saying that they support "terrorism, hate and violence."

The complaint further asserts that Starbucks has a hidden agenda in doing so: that being its effort to bolster an alleged anti-union campaign.

Starbucks Workers United represents workers at just 340 of the company's 34,000 stores worldwide, but it's political views are amplified by the well-known Starbucks brand, and those views are having a negative impact on the company's reputation and on the safety of its workers, the company alleges.

The complaint alleges that "Defendants' social media posts in support of violence in Israel have led to property damage, threats, and calls for a boycott."

The lawsuit says that, since the union used the Starbucks name and logos as their own, it has led to confusion over the source of their statements in support of Palestine over Israel. "Statements by Starbucks attempting to distinguish itself from Defendants and their positions have been to no avail."

In the lawsuit, attorneys included an image of the Starbucks green and white circular logo alongside an image used by Starbucks Workers United that is also circular, green and white and uses the word "Starbucks." Another imaged used by the group includes the Starbucks Siren, though with her fist raised.

Starbucks had sent a cease-and desist-letter on Sunday to Lynne Fox, the international president of Workers United, demanding that its subset, Starbucks Workers United, stop using the Starbucks name and logo when expressing its support for Palestine and Hamas over Israel. The letter also demanded that the union issue a statement that its political views have nothing to do with Starbucks, but the lawsuit alleges the union did not comply.

The lawsuit includes a sampling of complaints it alleges has stemmed from the union's pro-Palestine activity.

"I will never visit Starbucks again. You are supporting Hamas terrorists..." reads one. "How dare Starbucks be sympathetic to a terror organization? Was your son or daughter murdered? I didn't think so. Shame on you!" reads another. Another person posted on X that, "Drinking a cup of Starbucks is drinking a cup of Jewish blood."

The cease-and-desist letter also noted that Senator Rick Scott of Florida "amplified the public outrage against Starbucks resulting from your organization's statements by calling for a nationwide boycott of Starbucks."

Workers United is a subset of Service Employees International Union, which boasts 2 million members. Newsweek reached out to Workers United and to the SEIU, neither of which responded.

Starbucks also sent an email to its employees on Tuesday advising them that a lawsuit was forthcoming.

"The ongoing confusion from this misinformation has sadly led directly to incidents where angry, hurt customers are confronting partners in our stores and sending graphic and violent messages to partners in our Customer Contact Center," the email read.

"Starbucks will file litigation against the union in federal court, and we intend to pursue all legal options in defense of our partners and our company," read the email.

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