A five-day strike by the Starbucks union has expanded to include stores in at least 11 states.
As of Sunday, “approximately 50 stores nationwide” had closed since the strike began, the union said in a statement.
The strike began Friday with baristas walking off the job in Los Angeles, Chicago and Seattle. After that, we expanded to Denver. Columbus, Ohio. And Philadelphia.
Other locations include: New York City. Boston; Dallas-Forth Worth area of Texas. Portland, Ore., according to a written statement filed by the union.
“Strikes are expected to continue surging through Christmas Eve,” Starbucks Workers United said. “The last day before Christmas is traditionally one of Starbucks’ busiest times of the year.”
The union told CNN the strike could reach “hundreds” of stores by Tuesday.
In a statement provided to the Guardian, Starbucks spokesperson Phil Gee said: “Some of the disruptions we have experienced this week have not had a material impact on store operations.
“Only a handful of stores in the U.S. were affected,” Gee said. “We respect our partners’ right to engage in lawful strike action and are grateful to our thousands of partners across the country who continue to support each other and deliver the Starbucks experience to our customers.”
According to CNN, Starbucks operates more than 10,000 stores and employs more than 200,000 people. Starbucks Workers United represents more than 10,500 employees in more than 500 stores, according to its website.
“Starbucks baristas are escalating their five-day (unfair labor practice) strike in response to the company’s backtracking on its promised direction,” the union wrote in a statement on X on Thursday. Ta.
The union hopes to reach an agreement on contract negotiations by the new year, but said Starbucks management “has not yet presented workers with a serious economic offer.”
The union added: “Starbucks has proposed no immediate pay increases for union baristas and future pay increases of only 1.5%.”
Lynn Fox, president of Starbucks Workers United, said in a written statement:
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“While we have discussed how Starbucks evaluates partners throughout our system, we have recognized zero immediate investment in barista wages and the resolution of hundreds of outstanding unfair labor practice cases,” Fox said. I refuse to be there.” “Union baristas know their value and will not accept any offer that does not treat them as true partners.”
In a written statement to the Guardian, Mr Gee said: “Workers United representatives brought this week’s negotiating session to a premature end. Given the progress we have made so far, it is disappointing that they were not able to return to the table.”
However, a Starbucks spokesperson said the proposal from the union and the proposals received by management “call for an immediate increase in the minimum wage for hourly partners by 64% and 77% over the three-year term.” Ta.
“This is not sustainable,” Gee said.
Nevertheless, Gee also said, “We are willing to continue negotiations to reach an agreement.” We need unions back at the table. ”
Starbucks Workers United released a statement on behalf of negotiator Fatmeh Alhajaboudi, a five-year barista, saying: This is a last resort, but Starbucks has broken its promise to thousands of baristas and we have no choice.
“In a year in which Starbucks invested millions of dollars in executive talent, Starbucks has failed to present a viable economic offer to the baristas who run the company and resolve pending unfair labor practices.”
