A walkout at more than 300 Starbucks stores across the U.S. is underway on Tuesday, with approximately 5,000 workers participating in a five-day labor action. This marks the largest single day of the action so far, according to the Starbucks Workers Union, which represents workers at 525 stores nationwide. The strike, which began on Friday, strategically coincides with the busy holiday shopping season.
Monday saw walkouts at over 60 stores in 12 major cities. Workers cite a lack of progress in contract negotiations with Starbucks as the primary reason for the strike. Lauren Hollingsworth, a barista from Ashland, Oregon, highlighted the financial struggles faced by many employees, stating in a union release, “Half the baristas in my store drive 30 minutes one way because they can’t afford to live closer to work. These strikes are an initial show of strength.”
The union alleges that Starbucks has failed to uphold a February commitment to reach a labor agreement this year. Starbucks’ proposed economic package, which includes no immediate wage increases for unionized baristas and a 1.5% increase in future years, is deemed insufficient by the union. Starbucks counters that Workers United prematurely ended negotiations and highlights its current pay and benefits package, claiming it equates to $30 an hour for those working at least 20 hours a week.
Beyond wages, the union demands that Starbucks address outstanding legal issues, including hundreds of unfair labor practice charges filed with the National Labor Relations Board. This action follows similar labor unrest elsewhere; the Teamsters union announced strikes at seven Amazon delivery hubs on Thursday.
Starbucks did not respond to a request for comment.