Starbucks loses court challenge against order to rehire union supporters

Judge writes: Fear of retaliation will exist unless Memphis seven, apparently terminated for their union support, are reinstated'

A US appeals court on Tuesday rejected Starbucks Corp's challenge to a ruling requiring the coffee chain to rehire seven employees at a Memphis, Tennessee, store who were allegedly fired for supporting a union.

The decision by the Ohio-based sixth US circuit court of appeals is the first from an appeals court involving a nationwide campaign that has seen workers at more than 300 Starbucks locations vote to unionize.