Starbucks faces largest walkout as workers protest understaffing

Nov 16, 2023

William Jackson Producer

By William Jackson (Producer)

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The strike at over 200 U.S. Starbucks locations on Thursday Nov. 16, marked the largest walkout in the two-year effort to unionize the company’s stores, according to organizers from the Workers United union. The action, named the “Red Cup Rebellion,” coincided with Starbucks’ annual Red Cup Day, typically one of the busiest days of the year.

More than 5,000 workers were expected to participate, engaging in picketing and visiting non-union stores.

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FILE - Starbucks employees and supporters link arms during a union election watch party Dec. 9, 2021, in Buffalo, N.Y. Thousands of U.S. Starbucks workers plan to walk off the job Thursday -- one of the chain's busiest days of the year -- to protest the company's anti-union stance. (AP Photo/Joshua Bessex, File) — AP Images

Edwin Palmasolis, a Starbucks employee for over two years, joined the strike, emphasizing the need for improved working conditions at his Manhattan store, which voted to unionize last year.

“We’ve been trying to negotiate with Starbucks,” Palmasolis said. “But they will do anything to, like, not meet with us, so they’ll stall or they’ll, like, appoint another day for them to meet with us. But not much has been said on their side.”

Isabel Johnston, left, and John Papandrea carry signs supporting Starbucks workers outside a Starbucks on New York's Upper West Side, Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023. Thousands of workers at more than 200 U.S. Starbucks stores plan to walk off the job Thursday in what organizers say is the largest strike yet in the two-year-old effort to unionize the company's stores. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) — AP Images

“It’ll make a big difference in our lives if we start to see some changes,” Palmasolis said.

He added that the store in the middle of Manhattan’s busy Astor Place business district unionized last year, but it hasn’t been able to meet with Starbucks to negotiate a contract.

Despite several strikes since 2021, Starbucks reported a 12% increase in revenue to a record $36 billion for the fiscal year ending Oct. 1, 2023.

Starbucks asserted that many striking stores remained open, staffed by non-striking employees and supervisors.

The company opposes unionization, and despite numerous stores voting to unionize, it has not reached a labor agreement. Tensions between Starbucks and Workers United have escalated, leading to legal disputes, including a recent lawsuit where Starbucks accused Workers United of damaging its reputation with a pro-Palestinian social media post.

Isabel Johnston holds a sign supporting Starbucks workers outside a Starbucks on New York's Upper West Side, Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023. Thousands of workers at more than 200 U.S. Starbucks stores plan to walk off the job Thursday in what organizers say is the largest strike yet in the two-year-old effort to unionize the company's stores. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) — AP Images

As of Nov. 16, at least 363 company-operated Starbucks stores in 41 states have voted to unionize since late 2021, contributing to a broader trend of labor activism in the U.S.

Starbucks has faced 111 complaints of unfair labor practices, with regional National Labor Relations Board offices accusing the company of refusing to bargain. Despite starting negotiations with the Teamsters union, no labor agreement has been reached.