Planned Starbucks strike in 3 cities could spread nationwide during crucial holiday shopping season
Starbucks store staff Five-day strike planned Protests against the lack of progress in contract negotiations with the company began on Friday.
The strike comes a day after the online retail giant Amazon also suffered a strike The campaign is scheduled to begin in Los Angeles, Chicago and Seattle on the key final shopping days of the season and could expand to hundreds of stores across the country by Christmas Eve.
The Starbucks Workers Union, which has organized workers at 535 U.S. company-owned stores since 2021, said Starbucks failed to comply with Commitments made in February A collective bargaining agreement was reached this year. The union also wants the company to resolve outstanding legal issues, including hundreds of unfair labor practice charges The workers filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board.
The union pointed out that Starbucks’ new chairman and CEO Brian Niccol Start in Septembercould earn more than $100 million in his first year in office. But the company recently proposed an economic plan, and the union said there would be no current wage increases for unionized baristas, but a 1.5% increase over the next few years.
“Union baristas know their value and they won’t accept an offer that doesn’t treat them as true partners,” said Union Workers President Lynn Fox.
Seattle-based Starbucks said a union of workers ended this week’s bargaining session early. Starbucks has nearly 10,000 company-owned stores in the United States
“We are prepared to continue negotiating to reach an agreement. We need the union to return to the bargaining table,” Starbucks said in a statement.
Starbucks said it already offers baristas who work at least 20 hours a week a $30-an-hour wage and benefits, including free college tuition and paid family leave.
This isn’t the first strike during Starbucks’ busy holiday season. In November 2023, thousands of employees in more than 200 stores Red Cup Day Go Outthe company typically gives away thousands of reusable cups on this day. and hundreds of workers Strike in June 2023 The protest comes after a union said Starbucks banned Pride displays in some stores.
Earlier this year, the union and the company returned to the bargaining table and pledged to reach a deal, but with a different tone. Starbucks said it has held nine bargaining meetings with unions since April and has reached more than 30 agreements with unions. But now the two sides appear to be at an impasse.
Fatemeh Alhadjaboodi, a Starbucks barista and negotiator from Texas, said in a statement: “Starbucks invests millions of dollars in top management talent, but it fails to present viable economics to the baristas who make the company run. suggestion.” .
