Overview
- More than 1,000 unionized baristas left work at roughly 65 U.S. stores across 40–45 cities in an open‑ended action the union says could grow.
- The strike targets the brand’s Red Cup Day promotion to maximize leverage, while Starbucks reports most locations are operating with minimal disruption.
- Workers are pressing for higher take‑home pay, reliable hours and schedules, improved staffing, and resolution of hundreds of unfair labor practice cases.
- Talks began under a 2024 bargaining framework but stalled after union delegates rejected an April 2025 proposal, and the company says it is ready to resume bargaining.
- The parties dispute union scope and impact, with the union citing more than 12,000 workers at 600+ stores and Starbucks estimating about 9,500 at roughly 550 locations.