Starbucks Workers Strike at 300 Stores, Disrupting Holiday Operations

Unionized baristas demand better wages and working conditions as contract negotiations with Starbucks stall.

Over 5,000 Starbucks workers at 300 stores across 45 states participated in a five-day strike culminating on Christmas Eve.
The labor action, organized by Starbucks Workers United, is the largest in the company's history, with demands for higher wages, better benefits, and improved working conditions.
Starbucks has offered union baristas a wage package with no immediate raises and a 1.5% annual increase, which the union argues is insufficient.
The company stated that 98% of its 10,000 U.S. stores remain open despite the strike, with minimal impact on operations during the busy holiday season.
Unionized Starbucks locations have grown to over 530 stores since 2021, but the union and company have yet to finalize a first collective bargaining agreement.