The National Labor Relations Board filed a sweeping complaint against Starbucks earlier this month, alleging that the company had committed hundreds of labor violations in the Buffalo area.

But the action came six months after Buffalo workers filed their first charge against the company — far longer than the two to three months it took regional labor boards elsewhere to address allegations against Starbucks.

As the Buffalo board investigated, Starbucks escalated from anti-union intimidation to a series of retaliatory firings, according to the allegations in the complaint. The board’s ultimate response came long after most of the area’s votes so far were held, meaning labor law essentially went unenforced while the elections were underway.