A union representing 12,000 workers at Starbucks Corp. has announced plans to have its members conduct a nationwide strike during the upcoming holiday season.
Earlier this month, Starbucks Workers United (SWU) voted by an estimated 92% majority to authorize an open-ended strike over what they claim are the company’s unfair labor practices. “Starbucks is the biggest violator of labor law in modern history,” SWU said in a press statement, “with administrative law judges and the National Labor Relations Board finding that Starbucks has committed more than 500 labor law violations.” To date, SWU has filed more than 1,000 unfair labor practice complaints, including more than 125 since January 2025. More than 700 unresolved charges remain, including a set of national ULPs around bad-faith bargaining and unilateral policy changes, and specific ULPs around retaliatory firings and discipline. ”
SWU says efforts to secure better staffing levels, more consistent work hours, end unpredictable schedules, and increase wages have been met with union-busting and retaliatory measures from Starbucks management.
“Union baristas mean business and are ready to do whatever it takes to win a fair contract and end Starbucks’ unfair labor practices,” SWU spokesperson Michelle Eisen said. “We want Starbucks to succeed, but turning the company around and bringing customers back begins with listening to and supporting the baristas who are responsible for the Starbucks experience. If Starbucks keeps stonewalling, they should expect to see their business grind to a halt. The ball is in Starbucks’ court.”
SWU plans to begin with a strike on November 13 — Starbucks’ “Red Cup Day,” the yearly event when the coffee chain gives customers a free, limited-edition reusable red holiday cup if they buy a handcrafted holiday drink. Union members say Red Cup Day has traditionally been a day of understaffing and challenges for workers, making it a perfect time for them to show store customers that they are still without a contract. If negotiations don’t move forward, SWU plans to escalate its actions by launching strikes in 25 cities initially, then expanding to more if management doesn’t respond. SWU calls this their “Red Cup Rebellion.”
SWU states it has organized Starbucks employees across the country, while management seems to be launching a retaliatory campaign by closing 400 stores nationwide. Fifty-nine of those closed locations were where there had been union activity, according to the website Nation’s Restaurant News.
The coffee and tea industry website, Fresh Cup, reports that Starbucks is responding to the threat of a SWU Red Cup Rebellion Day strike, with management stating that most stores will stay open and countering that it already offers competitive pay and benefits.
In April, the company’s website stated that, “At Starbucks, we offer equity grants to retail partners, and we were the first major retailer to provide health benefits for full- and part-time workers and cover 100% of tuition for partners pursuing a four-year degree. We recently invested over $3 billion in the partner experience, including wages and benefits. The average pay for hourly partners is now over $19, and with benefits, it is worth over $30 per hour.”
“No other retailer offers such a comprehensive package. Starbucks is the industry leader in terms of total pay and benefits which far exceed retail industry norms. …Starbucks remains optimistic that, through productive compromise and respectful dialogue, we can finalize a contract that is fair and equitable.”