On December 20, 2024, Starbucks employees held signs in front of Starbucks in Burbank, California, demanding a collective bargaining agreement.
Frederic J. Brown | Frederic J. Brown AFP | Getty Images
one Starbucks Just as the company’s busy holiday season begins, the barista strike has expanded to include about 5,000 employees at more than 300 stores in 45 states.
While it still accounts for only about 3% of all Starbucks stores in the U.S., it’s an expansion of an operation that began in three cities last week.
The strike, organized by the Service Employees International Union and Starbucks Workers United, was aimed at drawing attention to alleged unfair labor practices and stalling negotiations on a contract covering thousands of workers. Workers are seeking an immediate increase in Starbucks’ minimum hourly wage of 64% and an increase of more than 77% over the course of a three-year contract.
Union president Lynne Fox said: “While Starbucks has expressed how they value their partners across the system, we refuse to accept zero direct investment in barista wages and refuse to address hundreds of outstanding labor injustices. Behavior. “Baristas know their value and they won’t accept an offer that doesn’t treat them as a true partner. “
in a memorandum A Starbucks executive told employees in a company release that the union’s demands are “unsustainable,” while touting the overall benefits package available to employees, noting that employees who work at least 20 hours a week receive an average of $30 an hour and benefits.
“The union chose to abandon negotiations last week,” Starbucks Executive Vice President Sarah Kelly said. “We are prepared to continue negotiations when the union comes back to the bargaining table.”
Investor sentiment was high in August after Starbucks poached Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol to head the coffee chain, but the company’s shares have fallen in recent weeks as the broader market has pulled back.
Nicol has pledged to negotiate in good faith with the union, despite at least two previous settlements with workers at the request of the National Labor Relations Board during his tenure at the taco chain.
