Representing over 10,000 Starbucks baristas, the union has announced that its members will begin a five-day strike on Friday (December 20) at stores in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle, protesting the slow progress in contract negotiations with the company.
The union Workers United, representing employees from 525 Starbucks stores across the United States, stated that the strike will escalate each day and could reach “hundreds of stores” by the eve of Christmas.
Starbucks stated that negotiations with Workers United have been ongoing since April of this year, with nine rounds of talks conducted, reaching over 30 agreements on “hundreds of issues,” including economic matters.
Starbucks has accused the union representatives of prematurely ending the negotiation meetings this week. On the other hand, the union argues that Starbucks has failed to fulfill its commitment made in February to reach a labor agreement this year.
The union also rejected a proposal that did not include an immediate raise and a guaranteed 1.5% pay increase in the coming years.
However, Starbucks expressed that the union’s proposal to immediately increase the minimum wage for hourly workers by 64%, and by 77% over the three-year contract period, is unsustainable.
The union noted that Starbucks’ newly appointed Chairman and CEO, Brian Niccol, who took office in September, could potentially earn over $100 million in his first year. However, the recent proposal from the company did not suggest salary raises for baristas joining the union, with future pay increases capped at 1.5%.
The union’s representative stated, “Baristas who join the union know their worth, and they will not accept a proposal that does not view them as genuine partners.”
Starbucks mentioned that it already provides baristas working at least 20 hours a week with a compensation of $30 per hour and benefits, including free college tuition and paid family leave.
Moreover, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has received hundreds of complaints alleging illegal actions by Starbucks, including firing employees who support the union and closing stores during labor movements.
Starbucks denies any misconduct and states that it respects workers’ rights to choose whether to join a union.
Last month, the NLRB stated that Starbucks informing its workers at the flagship Seattle café that they would lose benefits if they joined the union was unlawful.
The strike by Starbucks employees is part of a recent wave of labor actions in the United States. On Thursday, the peak of holiday shopping, workers at seven Amazon facilities in the U.S. went on strike. Previously, workers in the automotive, aviation, and railway industries have achieved significant concessions from employers.
According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 33 work stoppages in 2023, the highest since 2000. However, this number still remains much lower than levels seen in previous decades.
(This article references reports from Reuters and the Associated Press)