Seven employees of a Tennessee Starbucks who were fired after starting unionization efforts have claimed victory after their Memphis store voted to join a wave of U.S. locations of the coffee chain that have decided to organize.
The so-called Memphis Seven jumped for joy, hugged one another and wept after a count held by the National Labor Relations Board showed an 11-3 vote on Tuesday in favor of the unionization of a Starbucks store near the University of Memphis.
The group has pushed for a union for months, even after their firing in February on allegations by Starbucks that they violated store security rules.
“The reason that I am filled with tears is because Memphis Seven has fought so hard,” said Nikki Taylor, one of the fired workers. “To know that that work didn’t go in vain, that fight didn’t go in vain, that losing sleep didn’t go in vain, it’s amazing to me.”