Starbucks Workers United has announced that baristas in Seattle, Los Angeles, and Chicago will be going on strike starting Friday due to the coffee chain’s failure to bring viable economic proposals to the bargaining table and resolve unfair labor practice charges. The union represents 525 union stores and over 10,500 union workers. The strike could spread to other cities through Christmas Eve unless Starbucks honors their commitment to reaching a fair contract. Starbucks has stated that there has been no significant impact on store operations, but about 10 of its company-operated stores did not open as planned on Friday.
The union and Starbucks had announced a path forward earlier in the year, but Starbucks has yet to bring a comprehensive economic package to the bargaining table. The union argues that Starbucks needs to invest more in its workforce, citing CEO Brian Niccol’s compensation package compared to barista wages. Starbucks, on the other hand, stated that it offers competitive average pay of over $18 per hour and best-in-class benefits such as health care, college tuition, paid family leave, and company stock grants.
Starbucks also expressed concerns about the union’s proposal for a significant increase in minimum wage for hourly partners, stating that it is not sustainable. The company is willing to continue negotiations despite the ongoing strike. This strike comes at a time when the Teamsters union has also announced strikes at several Amazon delivery facilities during the holiday delivery rush.
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