In the entirety of its 50 years in operation, Starbucks (SBUX  ) has never had unionized employees at any of its 8,000 locations; however, recent efforts in the Buffalo area of New York may change that. Unionization votes are already underway at three of the chain's locations near Buffalo, and another three are seeking their chance. However, Starbucks isn't letting the votes happen without a fight.

In October, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) approved requests from three Buffalo locations to hold unionization votes. Starbucks quickly appealed the decision and also requested that a combined vote be held for all 20 Buffalo stores. Workers United tends to favor store-by-store voting.

The request was rejected, and despite the company's appeal, voting is ongoing. Counts could be completed as soon as December 9. If the board decides that Starbuck's appeal has merit, the votes will be impounded until a decision can be made.

The votes from a total of 100 eligible employees will be counted on a store-by-store basis, meaning it's possible that some or none of the coffee-chain locations will decide in favor of organizing. Because voting is conducted via the postal service, organizers don't have a clear idea of how many votes have been cast.

In recent weeks, the NLRB heard union vote requests from an additional three Buffalo-area franchise locations. The Starbucks employees say they want representation from Service Employees International Union affiliate Workers United. Starbucks attorneys still argue that one vote should be held for all 20 chain locations in the area.

New York isn't the only state currently seeing Starbucks organizing efforts. In Mesa, Arizona, employees at one location have also filed a request with the NLRB to hold a unionization vote.

According to employees at organizing stores, outside company personnel have been pressuring workers to vote against unionization. Starbucks has not responded to these claims.

Some are questioning why Starbucks is pushing so forcefully back against labor organizing given the fact that the company appears to be thriving.

"Starbucks is raking in record profits in 2021," Senator Bernie Sanders tweeted. "They are not a struggling company. So why are they working so hard to defeat workers' efforts to form a union?"

According to Starbucks spokespeople, blocking labor organizing is meant to protect the flexibility franchises have to work directly with their workers.

"It's by design, not happenstance, that you can walk into any store and enjoy the same food and beverage in any store, and its partners can work at any store at any time," Starbucks attorney Alan Model said.

However, Workers United says that the practice of having employees work at multiple locations isn't as common as Starbucks claims.

"Labor relations takes place at the store level," said Ian Hayes, an attorney for Workers United.