Caroline Lerczak, Team Leader of Starbucks Genese St., on the creation of the first Starbucks union in the United States
Rapid Growth of Starbucks Baristas strike for unfair labor practices expected to reach historic levels Tuesday as hundreds of stores nationwide get ready to join the walkouts at the coffee giant.
The Starbucks Workers United strike, called by failure of contract negotiations with the union, began Friday and is expected to continue to intensify through the holidays, potentially affecting more than 300 stores nationwide, according to Workers United.
Baristas in Boston, Philadelphia, Portland and Tucson walked out Monday and joined colleagues already on strike in Chicago, Columbus, Denver, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Seattle and St. Louis.
“The holiday season should be magical at Starbucks, but for many of us, there’s a darker side to peppermint mochas and gingerbread lattes,” wrote Arloa Fluhr, a food safety representative. Illinois negotiations, in a press release. “I am a mother of three children, including my daughter who is diabetic. I know what it’s like to panic because my hours have been reduced, I won’t be able to pay my bills and I could lose access to health care , including my daughter’s. This is why we strongly demand that Starbucks invest in baristas like me.
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Baristas picket in front of a Starbucks in Burbank, California, December 20, 2024. (Reuters photos / Reuters)
United Workers reported that Starbucks had gone back on its previous commitments, offering an economic package in December with no pay raise for unionized baristas and a guarantee of just 1.5% in future years.
Baristas picket in front of a Starbucks in Los Angeles, California, December 23, 2024. (Reuters photos / Reuters)
The raise would amount to less than 50 cents an hour for most baristas, according to the union.
On Sunday, elected officials joined workers on the picket line, including Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and New York City Comptroller Brad Lander.
Starbucks Executive Vice President and Chief Partner Officer Sara Kelly Released a declaration noting that during the strikes only “a very small number of stores” were temporarily closed.
Only 170 Starbucks stores did not open as planned, according to the coffee chain told FOX Business on Tuesday. With more than 10,000 corporate stores, 98% of stores and more than 200,000 employees continued to serve customers.
A barista holds a sign outside a Starbucks in Los Angeles, California on December 23, 2024. (Reuters photos / Reuters)
“The overwhelming majority of Starbucks stores across the country have opened as planned and are busy with customers enjoying the holidays,” Kelly wrote in the release. “Some of the stores temporarily closed earlier this weekend have reopened as partners seek to return to work.”
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The company said it offers a competitive average wage of more than $18 an hour and “best-in-class benefits,” including health care, free tuitionpaid family leave and company stock awards.
“No other retailer offers this type of comprehensive compensation and benefits,” Kelly wrote. “Workers United’s proposals call for an immediate increase in the minimum wage for hourly partners by 64% and 77% over the life of a three-year contract. These propositions are unsustainable, especially when the investments we continually make in our overall benefits package are the hallmark of what differentiates us as an employer and what makes us proud to work at Starbucks.
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Starbucks says it was the union that chose to walk away from negotiations last week.
“We are prepared to continue negotiations when the union returns to the bargaining table,” according to the statement.
