Starbucks Sees Path to Appeals Court Challenge to Union Victory

Starbucks Corp. will get its first chance to challenge a union victory in a federal appeals court if the National Labor Relations Board rules the coffee chain illegally refused to bargain with unionized workers at its signature Seattle Roastery.

The board is poised to rule on General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo’s request for summary judgment against Starbucks, putting the case on a fast-track for federal court by skipping over the administrative law judge phase, which typically involves a hearing and a decision.

Starbucks can only contest the union victory in federal court if it loses the failure-to-bargain case at the board ...