We may collectively be looking past the current unionizing troubles befalling Starbucks, but franchisees who do, do so at their own peril! Last week, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) certified union representation for the second Starbucks store in the Buffalo market. The union effort that ended on December 8 was originally reported to have been incomplete relating the store on Genesee Street in Cheektowaga, but after challenges from Starbucks Workers United (SBWU) were accepted by NLRB, the union was determined to have received a majority of votes, meaning the SBWU succeeded in two of the three elections it had secured! Beyond Buffalo, the NLRB this week also approved an election petition for union representation to take place in another Starbucks store in Mesa, Arizona. NLRB has ordered ballots mailed on January 14 to employees of the Mesa store with them due back at NLRB by January 28.