REUTERS/Mike Blake/File PhotoCompanies Starbucks Corp FollowAug 8 (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday rejected Starbucks Corp's (SBUX.O) challenge to a ruling requiring the coffee chain to rehire seven employees at a Memphis, Tennessee, store who were allegedly fired for supporting a union. Circuit Court of Appeals is the first from an appeals court involving a nationwide campaign that has seen workers at more than 300 Starbucks locations vote to unionize. "Fear of retaliation will exist unless the Memphis Seven, apparently terminated for their union support, are reinstated," Circuit Judge Danny Boggs wrote for the court. Starbucks and the labor board, which had sought the order reinstating the workers, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. More than 600 complaints have been filed with the labor board accusing Starbucks of illegal labor practices such as firing union supporters, spying on workers and closing stores during labor campaigns.

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Persons: Mike Blake, Danny Boggs, Daniel Wiessner, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, Companies Starbucks, Starbucks, Circuit, Memphis Seven, National Labor Relations Board, U.S . Congress, U.S, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S, Memphis , Tennessee, Ohio, Memphis, United States, Ann Arbor , Michigan, Philadelphia, Seattle, Albany , New York