WASHINGTON, Feb 9 ― A union representing Starbucks employees yesterday accused the coffee chain of firing workers attempting to organise in the US state of Tennessee.

Starbucks Workers United said seven workers comprising "almost the entire union organising committee” at a store in Memphis were fired weeks after two Starbucks stores in New York became the first to formally organise.

"I was fired by Starbucks today for 'policies' that I've never heard of before and that I've never been written-up about before,” Nikki Taylor, who worked as a shift superviser, said in a statement released by the union.

"This is a clear attempt by Starbucks to retaliate against those of us who are leading the union effort at our store and scare other partners.”

Starbucks did not respond to a request for comment from AFP.

In December, two Starbucks stores in Buffalo, New York became the first in the United States to vote to unionize, and workers at more than 50 stores are now trying to do the same.

The coffee chain, which in October announced that it was lifting its minimum wage to US$15 an hour, has stressed that it is not against organised labour, but argued that the issues raised by workers do not justify a union.

Starbucks Workers United, whose members include the workers in New York, said the company fired employees in Tennessee after they allowed reporters to hold interviews in the store after it had closed for the day.

"Starbucks chose to selectively enforce policies that have not previously been consistently enforced,” such as a ban on going behind the counter when no employees are working "as a subterfuge to fire union leaders,” the statement said.

The union said it would file charges with the National Labour Relations Board. ― AFP