Although the complaints that led to these charges were also in New York City and also filed by the Industrial Workers of the World, these are different from three items that Starbucks lost before the NLRB board last month.

In this batch, there were 13 original allegations. Ten were withdrawn by the IWW, said Starbucks spokeswoman Stacey Krum.

IWW organizer Daniel Gross could not confirm that, but said that the allegations included complaints that Starbucks removed union flyers from stores in Manhattan, a Starbucks manager interrogated employees about their union participation and a barista who stopped working to participate in a protest was reprimanded and suspended.

"That's a key, key right, and for us to be able to vindicate that so every barista knows you can stop work and join a protest to protect your rights is very significant," Gross said.

As part of the settlement in which Starbucks did not admit wrongdoing, the company will post a notice in two stores that give an overview of the settlement and federal labor laws concerning union organizing. It also will pay $42.55 in back pay to an employee who walked off his job to join a protest.

In a written statement, Starbucks said it settled because it prefers to spend time focusing on growing its business instead of in "protracted litigation."

Krum said the settlement -- which is between the NLRB and Starbucks -- was signed today. The IWW said in a written statement that it won't join the pending settlement because it prefers trials in open court.