Starbucks threatens to sue its workers union for trademark infringement after various branches expressed ‘solidarity with Palestine’ using brand’s name
Starbucks is threatening to sue Starbucks Workers United, the union representing employees of the coffee conglomerate, for trademark infringement following the industrial action ‘Solidarity with Palestine!’ tweet.
Last week, a letter was sent to the union’s president demanding that the union “immediately cease” using the company’s name and logo or the company would face legal action “including but not limited to for monetary damages’.
The legal demand came after some branches of the union expressed support for Palestine in the wake of the terrorist attack that killed 1,400 Israelis.
In a now-deleted tweet, the union wrote “Solidarity with Palestine!” above an image of a bulldozer driven by Hamas terrorists tearing down a fence on the Israel-Gaza border during the October 7 attacks.
Starbucks issued a statement in response saying it “unequivocally condemns these acts of terrorism, hatred and violence” and disagrees with the union’s position.
Starbucks threatens to sue its union for copyright infringement after a pro-Palestinian statement from the union that the company felt forced to reprimand
Starbucks Workers United, in a now-deleted tweet, posted a message of Solidarity with Palestine above a photo of Hamas operatives entering Israel during the terror attack
The Starbucks union represents approximately 9,000 employees across 340 stores. Pictured here are union members in Washington, DC in March 2023 after watching company founder Harold Schultz testify before Congress
The mega-chain became one of the few major companies in the service sector to make a statement about the war and the attack that led to it. Local restaurants – with and without connections to Israel – in many cities have donated profits to aid the Israeli people’s efforts to defend themselves.
After the statement, Starbucks’ legal counsel sent the union president a letter that gestured toward a call from Florida Sen. Rick Scott to boycott the coffee chain in response to the pro-Palestinian tweet.
The letter also said the union’s statement had left “volatile customers pitted against baristas.”
The lawyers wrote that because the union had “made statements advocating violence in the Middle East,” they had to change their name, website address, social media accounts, merchandise and anything else that featured their logo.
Union president Lynne Fox wrote in response that the company had failed to “identify such a statement.” She added that Starbucks Workers United is affiliated with SEIU, whose president issued a statement saying:
‘The violence in Israel and Palestine is unconscionable. @SEIU stands with all those who are suffering while strongly condemning anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and hatred in all forms.”
She continued: “Starbucks is attempting to exploit the ongoing tragedy in the Middle East to amplify the company’s anti-union campaign. Your letter makes frivolous legal claims while falsely implying that the union supports terrorism.”
By way of Starbucks’ potential legal argument, Fox challenged this premise, writing, “The public is unlikely to believe that SBWU’s alleged statements are those of Starbucks Corporation… Absent likely confusion, a company can form a union not force it to change its policies. name and brand material.’
“Your letter states that Starbucks is concerned about the ‘safety and well-being’ of its employees,” she continued. “If so, we propose that the company negotiate in good faith with SBWU on the health and safety provisions the union proposed months ago.
“Instead, it appears the company is trying to score points by baselessly attacking SBWU and forcing it to drop its name and logo. But a publicity stunt does not benefit workers, consumers or anyone else suffering from violence around the world.”
Starbucks is trying to get the union to stop using its logo and name on all its merchandise, social media and other branding
In the recent past, the giant coffee chain has struggled to find its footing amid periods of civil unrest and social justice movements. They were forced to reverse the dress code policy after telling employees they could not wear Black Lives Matter shirts.
Chief Human Resources Officer at Starbucks, Sara Kelly, wrote that because the union had “rejected” the company’s demand to stop using the name and log, “Starbucks will file a lawsuit against the union with the federal court, and we intend to pursue all legal proceedings. options to defend our partners and our company.”
Based in Buffalo, New York, Starbucks Workers United represents approximately 9,000 Starbucks baristas at 340 Starbucks locations nationwide, each representing their own unique political ideologies.
In the recent past, the giant coffee chain has struggled to find its footing amid periods of civil unrest and social justice movements.
In the summer of 2020, Starbucks initially told employees they would not be allowed to wear Black Lives Matter shirts and pins due to a company policy aimed at preventing the reinforcement of “divisiveness.”
Social media backlash against the chain was intense, later prompting a policy reversal and a statement that the company would provide 250,000 Starbucks-branded Black Lives Matter shirts to baristas and other employees who wanted them.