BUFFALO, N.Y. — On Monday, a judge with the National Labor Relations Board started hearing a case against Starbucks where union organizers allege they were fired using unfair labor practices.
Victoria Conklin worked for Starbucks for five years, until she was fired in June of 2022.
"I was fired after being late just the one time, but it was six days after my store had voted to unionize, and I led the union drives at my store," said Victoria Conklin.
Conklin was the first witness called to testify in the latest case the National Labor Relations Board is hearing against Starbucks. She worked at the East Robinson store in Amherst.
2 On Your Side spoke with Conklin before the hearing on Monday.
"We believe Starbucks firing me was in retaliation for union organizing which is in violation of the National Labor Relations Act," said Victoria Conklin.
Monday, Conklin testified in front of the administrative law judge answering questions about her employment and what happened in the days before she was fired.
Conklin wants her job back.
"I am hoping that the judge will reinstate me back to my store so that I can get back to my coworkers, to my customers, to the community I built over five years that I did not deserve to be ripped away from the way that I was. So I'm hoping to get reinstated as quickly as possible because I'm excited to go back to my job and my friends," said Victoria Conklin.
At issue is whether Starbucks engaged in unfair labor practices in how it treated several employees the company eventually fired - employees who were part of organizing the union.
Starbucks declined our request for an interview and instead sent us a statement saying in part, "We believe the allegations made by Workers United and the NLRB as part of the consolidated complaint are meritless and that actions taken in our Buffalo-area stores were lawful and in alignment with long-established partner policies... not in retaliation for any partners' participation in or support of, concerted union activities."
The NLRB also has to schedule a second two-week-long hearing. Then, likely months down the road, we are told the judge will issue his opinion.