Starbucks in downtown Columbus joins union drive

Employees of a Starbucks near the Ohio Statehouse intend to unionize.

Why it matters: The downtown store is the first in Columbus to join more than 150 of the coffee chain's stores across the country pushing for unions, including a few in Cleveland.

What's happening: An "overwhelming majority" of workers at 88 E. Broad St. signed union authorization cards and sent a letter to the company's CEO on Monday, according to a news release.

• If 30% of employees submit cards, an election with the National Labor Relations Board would follow.

The big picture: Five Starbucks stores in New York and one in Arizona have unionized while others are awaiting votes.

• Workers United, their national affiliate, alleges retaliatory practices by the company, which operates 9,000 U.S. stores.