Starbucks, Union Agree to Mediation to Finish Contract Deal (1)

Starbucks Corp. and its union have agreed to bring in an outside mediator for contract negotiations in an effort to revive stalled talks and reach a landmark deal.

The company and Workers United “have made progress over the last nine months of bargaining, and we are committed to continuing to work together – with a mediator’s assistance – to navigate complex issues and reach fair contracts,” Starbucks and the union said in a joint statement emailed to Bloomberg News.

The union is “optimistic that Starbucks will move off of their fixed position on wage and benefits improvements in this next phase ...