‘My name is cleared’: the US workers fighting back against union busting

Starbucks employees on strike outside the flagship Capitol Hill cafe location with a giant inflatable rat in December 2022. Photograph: James Anderson/Alamy

Last year, public support for labor unions hit a high unseen since 1965 amid high-profile union campaigns at major corporations including Apple, Amazon, Starbucks, Chipotle, REI and Trader Joe’s.

This renewed interest has been accompanied by aggressive opposition from employers: threats, intimidation and what workers allege are retaliatory firings. The backlash seems to be working, but workers and their supporters are fighting back.