A five-day strike by Starbucks workers has now spread to nine states, according to the union representing the employees. The strike began on Sunday in Missouri, New Jersey, and New York, following earlier strikes in Colorado, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The union, Starbucks Workers United, represents over 10,000 workers at more than 525 Starbucks locations.
By Sunday, 30 stores across the country had been completely closed due to the strike, although the full number of impacted stores wasn’t clear yet. The union expects the strike to affect “hundreds of stores” by Tuesday, but this is still only a small fraction of Starbucks’ over 10,000 locations.
The strike started on Friday in cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, and Seattle, where Starbucks’ headquarters is located. The workers are pushing for higher wages, especially as their current wage proposal deadline is approaching at the end of the year. The union claims it had been negotiating with Starbucks management since February to resolve legal issues and reach an agreement on the first labor contract.
Starbucks said that the union ended recent bargaining talks early, despite having held multiple sessions over the past several months. The company argues it has offered fair terms and improved wages but the union rejected the proposal. In December, Starbucks offered no immediate wage increases and only a small raise of 1.5% in the future, which the union believes is not enough.
The strike is taking place during the busy holiday season, which is crucial for Starbucks’ sales due to popular drinks and gift products. While there are no picket lines in New Jersey, workers have been protesting in other areas like Brooklyn, Long Island, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia.
Starbucks claims that the strike hasn’t caused major disruptions, saying only a few stores have been affected.
The union is asking for better wages and benefits, claiming that the company has been going back on promises made earlier. While Starbucks offers a competitive benefits package, with pay averaging above $18 an hour, the union says it’s not enough considering the work that baristas do.
Starbucks, however, says it can’t meet the union’s wage demands, explaining that it would lead to an unsustainable increase in wages. The union denies asking for such a large raise and insists the company is misunderstanding their demands.