In a bold move set to coincide with Starbucks’ annual Red Cup Day, the union representing thousands of Starbucks workers, Starbucks Workers United, has announced what it dubs its “largest strike ever” scheduled for Thursday. The union’s press release on Monday detailed its demands, primarily centered around pressing issues related to staffing, scheduling, and a call to turn off mobile ordering on promotion days like the highly anticipated Red Cup Day.
The Red Cup Day, an annual spectacle where Starbucks generously distributes free reusable holiday cups, is the company’s “biggest sales event of the season.” However, Starbucks Workers United contends it is one of the most challenging and understaffed days for dedicated baristas. The union contends that increased staffing levels do not adequately meet the influx of customers during promotion days.
Neha Cremin, a barista in Oklahoma City, emphasized the detrimental impact of understaffing, stating, “Starbucks is creating unnecessarily stressful working conditions by scheduling promotion after promotion without increasing staffing.” Cremin further highlighted the ripple effect, pointing out that understaffing negatively affects workers and results in an unpleasant customer experience.
This looming strike follows the submission of an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) by Starbucks workers earlier this fall. The charge alleges the coffee giant’s refusal to bargain over promotion days. Notably, administrative law judges have consistently found Starbucks violating federal labor laws over the past year, with the company having lost 22 cases before the NLRB as of August.
Starbucks contends that Workers United has not agreed to meet for bargaining in over four months despite the brewing tensions. In a statement, the company expressed its readiness to engage in negotiations, urging Workers United to fulfill its obligations in negotiating first contracts on behalf of the represented partners.
Starbucks recently announced a plan to increase hourly wages by 3 percent. However, this move faced criticism from workers, such as Alex Yaeger, a barista in Albany, N.Y., who labeled it “tone deaf” in light of the company’s reported fourth-quarter revenue. Yaeger emphasized the ongoing fight for union representation, drawing parallels to the recent success of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union, which secured significant gains after a six-week strike against major automakers.
As the saga unfolds, parallels are drawn to the recent Hollywood strikes, where the Writers Guild of America (WGA) reached a deal with major film and television studios in September. SAG-AFTRA continued its strike until a recent agreement with studios last week. Starbucks Workers United’s imminent strike adds to the growing wave of labor movements advocating for fair working conditions and just compensation across various industries.
As the aroma of freshly brewed coffee permeates Starbucks outlets worldwide, a brewing storm within the Starbucks Workers United Union promises to disrupt the tranquility of the coffee giant’s Red Cup Day.
With the union gearing up for what they dub their “largest strike ever,” the stage is set for a showdown between the baristas and the coffee empire on Thursday. The battle lines drawn over staffing, scheduling, and handling mobile orders on promotion days illuminate the larger struggle for fair labor practices in the face of the company’s pivotal sales events.
As echoes of discontent reverberate through the coffeehouses, the strike serves as a poignant chapter in the broader narrative of labor movements seeking equitable conditions across industries. The outcome of this clash will undoubtedly leave a lasting imprint on the discourse surrounding workers’ rights and the intricate dance between labor and corporate giants.
