Unionized Starbucks baristas across the country are set to walk off the job Thursday in a push for better pay and benefits – as the coffee giant expects an influx of customers hitting stores for its holiday promotion.
Over 1,000 unionized workers at stores across 65 U.S. cities will participate in the walkout, the Starbucks Workers Union said. The walkout coincides with “Red Cup Day,” an annual sales event where customers receive a free reusable cup with the purchase of a holiday beverage.
Walkouts are set to be held in New York, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, San Diego, St. Louis, Dallas and Starbucks’ hometown of Seattle, amongst other cities.
There is no end date set for the strike, and more stores say they are ready to join if Starbucks does not reach a contract agreement with the workers, organizers said.
Meanwhile, Starbucks says most of its 17,000 coffeeshops across the U.S. will be open and operating as usual Thursday. A company spokesperson told Reuters less than 1 percent of its stores were impacted by the walkouts.
Union members, who will hold rallies across the country at 4 p.m. Thursday, say Starbucks has failed to provide new proposals on key issues like staffing and wages since the labor group rejected an offer from the company in April.
About 550 company-owned U.S. stores are unionized. The strike comes as Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol shuttered hundreds of underperforming stores, including 59 unionized locations, earlier this year.
Workers say they’re walking out because Starbucks has yet to reach a contract agreement with the union, which first started in 2021. The workers are advocating for better hours and improved staffing in stores, where they say long waits are expected by customers.
They also say that many workers are not scheduled to work for the 20 hours a week required to receive benefits. They are also seeking higher pay to match the current high cost of living.
The union also wants Starbucks to resolve hundreds of unfair labor practices charges filed by workers, over complaints including retaliatory firings for unionizing.
“Our fight is about actually making Starbucks jobs the best jobs in retail. Right now, it’s only the best job in retail for Brian Niccol,” said Jasmine Leli, a barista and strike captain from Buffalo, New York.
“Things have only gone backwards at Starbucks under Niccol’s leadership, but a fair union contract and the resolution of hundreds of unfair labor practice charges are essential to the company’s turnaround. Too many of us rely on SNAP or Medicaid just to get by, and most baristas still don’t earn a livable wage,” Leli said. “In a majority of states, starting pay is just $15.25 an hour—and even then, we’re not getting the 20 hours a week we need to qualify for benefits.”
For its part, Starbucks says it offers some of the highest wages and best benefits across U.S. retailers. The company pays workers an average $30 an hour.
Employees who receive benefits are entitled to 18 weeks of paid family leave and 100 percent tuition coverage for a four-year college degree.
Starbucks is ready to talk and “believes we can move quickly to a reasonable deal,” Chief Partner Officer Sara Kelly said. According to Kelly, the union walked away from the bargaining table this Spring.
It’s not the first time unionized workers at Starbucks have gone on strike. Workers also walked off the job on Red Cup Day in 2022 and 2023, and last year, a five-day strike ahead of Christmas shuttered 59 stores across the country.
With reporting by the Associated Press
