Starbucks (SBUX  ) was ordered by a judge to reinstate seven baristas fired from a Memphis, Tennessee store after the group appeared on the local news to talk about their unionization push.

The decision comes after a legal motion was filed by the National Labor Relations Board that labeled the firings as retaliation. Judge Sheryl H. Lipman, representing the US District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, agreed with the NLRB and ordered the reinstatement of all seven workers.

According to Lipman, the NLRB "[provided] evidence consistent with the theory that Starbucks discriminatorily applied its policies to the Memphis Seven when terminating them." Starbucks must offer the employees their jobs back clean the employees' disciplinary records within five days of the order, which was issued on Thursday. The coffee giant must also cease and desist from any further union-busting activities, per the order.

"Howard Schultz thought he could terrify an entire nation of baristas by firing the Memphis organizing committee," Starbucks Workers United lead organizer Richard Bensinger said. "Thankfully a federal judge has found that Schultz is not above the law."

Starbucks has spoken out against the decision, declaring in a press statement that it "strongly [disagrees] with the judge's ruling."

"These individuals violated numerous policies and failed to maintain a secure work environment and safety standards. Interest in a union does not exempt partners from following policies that are in place to protect partners, our customers, and the communities we serve."

Starbucks' Anti-Union Crusade So Far

Starbucks' pitched crusade against its own workers has dragged on for several months, resulting in a torrent of bad press and legal losses that have all-but destroyed the company's preferred image of a "progressive" employer.

Initial efforts by Buffalo, New York Starbucks employees were slowed by repeated appeals by the company. In one instance, the company requested a combined vote for all 20 stores at once, rather than the traditional method of store-by-store voting.

As unionization efforts spread, Starbucks seemed to grow more aggressive in its union-busting. Employees have reported countermeasures against union organizing ranging from one-on-one meetings with corporate staff, to outright firing organizing workers in a similar fashion to the "Memphis 7."

More recently, the company lobbed allegations of misconduct against the NLRB and called for union votes to be suspended nationwide. In general, the coffee titan has bombarded the NLRB with a barrage of complaints, which labor experts say is a deliberate tactic to bog down proceedings.