Union members and supporters of the Starbucks Workers United are on the picket line outside a Starbucks coffee shop on Thursday, November 16, 2023 in New York, USA.
Victor J. Blue | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Starbucks Baristas in some places are planning to go on strike on Christmas Eve, starting Friday at coffee shops in Los Angeles, Chicago and Seattle.
The strike is escalating every day, covering new markets, as the Starbucks union works to raise barista wages. Starbucks ‘backtracking on path forward we promised’, union said in the post X declares a strike.
The shutdowns could mean longer waits for holiday drinks and popular Starbucks merchandise in the days leading up to Christmas, when many Americans will be off work and school, or shopping for last-minute gifts.
Relations between the company and unions have become frosty again after thawing earlier this year. late February, Both parties agree Work together to develop a “basic framework” that includes procedures for reaching collective bargaining agreements for individual stores. Since then, they have held more than nine bargaining meetings in 20 days, according to Starbucks.
Earlier this week, Starbucks and the union held their last scheduled bargaining meeting of the year. But before the meeting, baristas from the United Starbucks Workers voting authorization A strike will occur if the coffee giant doesn’t come up with a comprehensive package to address pay and other benefits issues.
The union said that during the negotiation meeting, Starbucks proposed no immediate wage increase and only guaranteed a 1.5% annual wage increase in the future.
Starbucks said in a statement that the workers’ union ended this week’s bargaining session early.
“We are prepared to continue negotiations to reach an agreement. We need the unions to return to the bargaining table,” the company said.
According to Starbucks, the union is demanding an immediate 64% wage increase for hourly employees and a 77% raise over the course of the three-year contract.
“This is unsustainable,” the company said in a statement.
It’s been a tough year for Starbucks. Globally and in the U.S., sales have declined as consumers look elsewhere for caffeine. After sales slump, baristas will reportedly received Next year’s annual raises will be smaller than in previous years.
The Starbucks Workers United represents more than 500 Starbucks stores.
Starbucks baristas aren’t the only workers to go on strike at the last minute during the holiday rush. Amazon workers in seven factories On strike on Thursday to put pressure on the e-commerce giant to return to the negotiating table.
