Starbucks Activists Withdraw Candidates for Board Seats (1)

An activist group seeking changes at Starbucks Corp. has withdrawn a slate of candidates for the coffee giant’s board, citing progress in improving labor relations at the company.

The Strategic Organizing Center, which advises union pension funds, said Tuesday it withdrew the three candidates it had proposed in a high-profile campaign to add employee representation to the board.

The board challenge by SOC followed a two-year standoff between Starbucks and the union representing about 400 US stores. Tensions eased last week after the two parties agreed to start talks about how to achieve collective-bargaining agreements and provide a fair process ...