Cornell University will not renew its contract with Starbucks, the latest fallout from labor disputes involving the coffee chain’s Ithaca locations.
“Cornell Dining does not intend to serve Starbucks Coffee in its café venues after the current agreement with the company expires in 2025,” Vice President for University Relations Joel Malina wrote in a statement.
The move was made in response to a Cornell Student Assembly resolution calling on the administration to reject the coffee chain. The Student Assembly passed the resolution earlier this year in response to Starbucks' decision to close unionized stores in Ithaca.
“Cornell supports fair labor practices in compliance with federal and New York State law, and our School of Industrial and Labor Relations is the preeminent educational institution in the world focused on improving the lives of workers,” Cornell President Martha Pollack wrote in her response to the Student Assembly’s resolution.
The National Labor Relations Board found Starbucks violated federal labor law as it closed locations in Ithaca.
Starbucks did not respond to a request for comment. The company has previously said it believes the union busting claims against it are unfounded.
