Starbucks and its union, which represents over 10,000 baristas, have agreed to withdraw the lawsuits they filed against each other, the company announced. This decision comes a day after both sides agreed to bring in a mediator to help resume stalled negotiations.
Negotiations between Starbucks and the union began in April but were halted in December before the final round. The union claimed that Starbucks had not presented a comprehensive package for discussion.
By withdrawing the lawsuits on Friday, the two sides took a step closer to reaching a contract. “We continue to work to reach agreement on a framework for single-store contracts,” Starbucks said in a statement. The workers’ union did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
The union had gone on a five-day strike just before Christmas, closing Starbucks stores in multiple cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle.
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