Starbucks workers at the Ditmars Boulevard location in Astoria and allies rallied outside the store Monday morning, February 27 to celebrate the reinstatement of long-time employee and leader in the store’s unionization efforts Austin Locke, who the store illegally fired last July. The NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) recently called for Locke’s reinstatement by February 27 under the city’s new fast-food worker just cause law.

“Getting reinstated is not just a win for me but a win for the working class,” said Austin Locke. “Let this be an example to all: in New York City, you can’t mess with workers. Starbucks: stop union busting and reinstate all fired workers! Solidarity with people’s struggles all around the world!”

Austin is the first worker to be reinstated using the new fast-food worker just cause law.