The Starbucks walkout reflects a surge of frustration among unionised baristas who say their efforts over three years have yielded no meaningful change. More than 1,000 workers walked off the job across 65 stores on Red Cup Day, a high-traffic promotional event chosen to maximise pressure on the company. Starbucks Workers United said several stores were forced to close and warned that more could join the strike if contract talks continue to stall. With stores in at least 45 cities participating, the walkout marked one of the largest labour actions since the first Starbucks location unionised in Buffalo in 2021.
Workers say the heart of the dispute lies in Starbucks’ failure to deliver on contract negotiations. Former CEO Laxman Narasimhan had pledged to finalise a union contract by the end of 2024, but after his departure, employees say discussions froze entirely under new CEO Brian Niccol. No bargaining has taken place since April, and baristas argue that the company has made no effort to restart talks. They describe deteriorating workplace conditions, including shorter staffing, inconsistent hours, and increasingly demanding store operations that leave both workers and customers frustrated.
Starbucks insists the strike had minimal impact. With around 17,000 stores across the country, the company said the vast majority remained open and fully staffed. By midday, Starbucks reported that sales were strong and that Red Cup Day was “off to an incredible start.” Company officials pointed out that only a small fraction of stores are unionised, though workers counter that Starbucks has closed dozens of unionising locations, including 59 in September, which the company framed as part of a broad restructuring plan.
The workers’ demands remain centred on better scheduling, more consistent and adequate staffing, and higher wages, especially as executive compensation and corporate spending continue to rise. They also want the company to address hundreds of unfair labour practice complaints, including retaliation allegations and workplace policies that unionised baristas say Starbucks implemented without negotiation. For the workers, the strike is less a one-day protest and more a warning that patience has run thin.
