'Sowing distrust' | Starbucks accuses labor officials of aiding staff efforts to unionize

Starbucks has accused the federal labor board overseeing union elections at its U.S. cafes of misconduct and asked for elections to be suspended nationwide pending the outcome of an investigation.

The coffee chain said in a letter to National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Chairman Lauren McFerran and General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo that NLRB agents helped Workers United win elections by manipulating the voting process and collaborated to cover up the behavior, according to a copy seen by the news agency Reuters.

NLRB spokesperson Kayla Blado said in a statement the NLRB had well established processes for challenging elections.

"The regional staff – and, ultimately, the Board – will carefully and objectively consider any challenges raised through these established channels," she said.