A nationwide strike by unionised Starbucks employees has entered its fourth day, with Workers United indicating it could become the largest and longest strike in the company’s history.
The strike began on Thursday, Starbucks’ busy “Red Cup Day,” and has forced the closure of stores across the United States, including Seattle locations.
Both the union and Starbucks are attributing responsibility to each other for stalled contract negotiations. The two parties have not been at the bargaining table together since April.
Regular customers at the Starbucks drive-through on Elliott Avenue in Interbay are being met by a “closed” sign, as most of the unionised store’s employees take to the picket line.
“We’re prepared to be out here for weeks or more,” stated Brenna Nendel, a supervisor at the location. “It’s indefinite. It’s up to the company.”
The strike largely centres on wages, hours, scheduling, and other working conditions. Nendel indicated starting pay for hourly Starbucks employees in Seattle is the city’s minimum wage of $20.76, but she claims many smaller coffeehouses in the city start their employees at $25 hourly.
“If Starbucks is going to be touting itself as a progressive company, it needs to have actions to back those words up,” stated Gus Nelson, a three-year employee of the Interbay Starbucks.
Workers claim contract negotiations stalled when Brian Niccol became CEO of Starbucks in September 2024, negating progress made under the company’s previous CEO, Laxman Narasimhan.
Nendel indicated that Starbucks has yet to offer anything higher than a 1.5% raise, which she and her employees argue does not meet the criteria for a livable wage in Seattle.
“It’s very obvious that management and the company don’t care about us,” she stated. “They call us ‘partners,’ but we’re not.”
In a company letter dated 5 November, Starbucks’ Chief Partner Officer, Sara Kelly, stated she was disappointed that Workers United wanted to strike.
“Workers United walked away from the table, but if they are ready to come back, we’re ready to talk,” she wrote.
Kelly also noted that Workers United represents less than 4% of Starbucks employees. The company has over 10,000 stores in the US, and Kelly indicated approximately 550 of them are unionised.
Despite union workers strategically beginning their strike on “Reusable Red Cup Day,” Jaci Anderson, a Starbucks spokesperson, claimed less than 1% of the company’s coffeehouses were experiencing disruptions. Niccol stated in a company blog post that it was the strongest “Reusable Red Cup Day” in company history.
In addition to higher wages, union workers in Seattle indicated they are requesting more consistent staffing and scheduling.
“It’s harder to predict if I need to pick up shifts, if I can make plans in my life,” Nelson continued, “or if I’m going to have to work six days to not even hit 40 hours.”
Nendel, who spent five hours on the picket line Sunday, claimed Starbucks had been targeting union employees. She stated the company withheld certain new benefits, like credit card tipping.
“Any store that had unionised prior to that date, the company denied them the update in the system for credit card tips,” Nendel claimed.
Starbucks stated it could not legally apply new benefits to stores that have voted to unionise.
As the strike extends past a fourth day, Anderson has characterised several of Workers United’s proposals as unserious and lacking evidence. The union proposed pay increases of 65% immediately and 77% over three years, according to Anderson.
Still, union workers maintain their stance of “No contract? No coffee.”
The nationwide Starbucks strike represents a significant escalation in labour tensions at one of America’s most recognisable retail brands, testing the company’s long-cultivated image as a progressive employer whilst highlighting broader challenges facing service industry workers seeking living wages in expensive urban markets.
The strike’s timing, launched on “Red Cup Day” when Starbucks offers free reusable cups to customers ordering holiday beverages, demonstrates strategic planning by Workers United to maximise disruption during one of the company’s busiest promotional events. Red Cup Day typically generates substantial customer traffic and sales, making it an opportune moment for workers to leverage their collective action for maximum impact.
The conflicting narratives about the strike’s effectiveness illustrate the information warfare accompanying labour disputes. Workers United characterises the action as potentially the largest and longest in Starbucks history, whilst company spokesperson Jaci Anderson claims less than 1% of locations experienced disruptions. CEO Brian Niccol’s assertion that it was the strongest Red Cup Day in company history directly contradicts union claims of widespread impact, leaving observers to assess whose characterisation more accurately reflects reality.
