Starbucks Baristas Strike in Three U.S. Cities: Impact on Pre-Christmas Rush
Starbucks Workers United members are making their voices heard as they picket outside Starbucks stores in Chicago, Illinois, Los Angeles, and Seattle on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. The union is pushing for better pay for baristas, leading to an escalation of strikes across new markets each day. This move by the workers could potentially disrupt the pre-Christmas rush, impacting the availability of holiday drinks and popular Starbucks merchandise as Americans prepare for the festive season.
Strikes and Negotiations
The relationship between Starbucks and the union has hit a rough patch after initial cooperation earlier in the year. Both parties had previously agreed to collaborate on a “foundational framework” that included a process for achieving collective bargaining agreements at individual stores. Despite conducting over nine bargaining sessions in the past 20 days, the recent bargaining session ended without a resolution. Starbucks proposed a meager 1.5% annual pay increase going forward, which the union deemed insufficient, leading to the initiation of strikes.
Union Demands and Company Response
Starbucks Workers United is asking for a significant 64% hourly wage increase immediately and a total of 77% over a three-year contract period. However, Starbucks has expressed concerns about the feasibility of meeting these demands, stating that such a substantial pay raise is not sustainable for the company. The union’s decision to authorize a strike was a result of Starbucks’ failure to present a comprehensive package that addressed the workers’ pay and benefits adequately.
Challenges for Starbucks
This year has been challenging for Starbucks, both globally and in the U.S., with declining sales prompting the company to offer smaller annual pay hikes to its employees compared to previous years. Starbucks Workers United represents over 500 company-owned locations of the coffee giant, highlighting the significant impact these strikes could have on the company’s operations.
In solidarity with the Starbucks baristas, Amazon workers across seven facilities also went on strike to pressure the e-commerce giant to engage in meaningful negotiations with its employees. This wave of strikes during the holiday season underscores the growing demand for fair compensation and improved working conditions across various industries, affecting both workers and consumers alike.
