Union Starbucks Baristas’ Unfair Labor Practice Strike Grows as Workers in 25 New Cities Join Action

“We’re joining the unfair labor practice strike because we know that together we can build a better future at Starbucks,” said Sabrina Martinez (she/her), a shift supervisor of 5 years from Gilbert, Ariz. who joined the ULP strike on Thursday. “We know what’s broken at Starbucks and how to turn this company around. But instead of listening to us and investing in baristas, Starbucks is refusing to resolve ULPs or work together in good faith to finalize a contract that ensures the pay, hours, and staffing we need to succeed. Until they do, we’ll be on the picket line.”

Union stores in the following cities joined the ongoing open-ended unfair labor practice strike on Thursday: Scottsboro, Ala.; Avondale, Ariz.; Gilbert, Ariz.; Aurora, Ill.; Louisville, Ky.; Newton, Mass.; Ypsilanti, Mich.; Columbia, Mo.; Springfield, Mo.; Albany, N.Y.; Amherst, N.Y.; Bellmore, N.Y.; Buffalo, N.Y.; Clifton Park, N.Y.; Farmingville, N.Y.; Garden City, N.Y.; Lynbrook, N.Y.; New York City, N.Y.; Bowling Green, Ohio; Cleveland, Ohio; Toledo, Ohio; Westlake, Ohio; Philadelphia, Pa.; Anderson, S.C.; Lexington, S.C.; Alcoa, Tenn.; and Memphis, Tenn.

The 11,000 Starbucks Workers United baristas across the country are prepared to continue escalating to make this the largest, longest strike in company history if the coffee giant fails to deliver a fair union contract and resolve unfair labor practice charges.

This new wave of stores joining the ULP strike follows a major action on Wednesday where hundreds of baristas and allies rallied and picketed outside of Starbucks’ largest distribution center in York, Pennsylvania. To show Starbucks just how serious their demands are as part of the ULP strike, union baristas and their allies brought their demand of “No Coffee, No Contract” to life as dozens of Starbucks delivery truck drivers turned away from the picket line.

Red Cup Rebellion Inspires Baristas, Draws Attention of Elected Leaders

Inspired by their co-workers taking action to demand a fair contract, baristas at five not-yet-union Starbucks filed for union elections this week, joining the movement of baristas working together to win a real voice on the job and the support and protections they need to succeed. This includes three stores in the Baltimore, Md. region, one store in Little Rock, Ark., and one store in Harrisonburg, Va.

Union baristas’ bravery has garnered the support from elected officials from all across the country. Words of encouragement poured in from Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO), Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ), Rep. Maxine Dexter (D-OR), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Rep. Summer Lee (PA-12), Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06), Rep. Alexandra Ocasio Cortez (NY-14), Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), the House Labor Caucus, New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, Seattle Mayor-elect Katie Wilson, and more.

This support builds on recent outreach from more than 100 U.S. Senators and Representatives directly to CEO Brian Niccol, led by Sen. Sanders and the House Labor Caucus, raising their serious concerns about the company’s return to union busting and failure to finalize a fair first contract with baristas. Following this outreach, Starbucks’ home state Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) emphasized the urgency of baristas’ demands in a letter to Niccol on the eve of the strike, imploring him to return to the bargaining table in good faith and resolve its unfair labor practice charges.

Historic Labor Law Violations

Starbucks’ failure to listen to and support their own baristas has forced them to strike over unfair labor practices. Starbucks is the biggest violator of labor law in modern history as National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Administrative Law Judges (ALJ) have found that Starbucks has committed more than 400 labor law violations.

In a stunning rebuke to Starbucks, an ALJ recently recommended a broad cease and desist order against Starbucks’ unlawful union busting, stating: “[Starbucks] has engaged in a scorched earth campaign and pattern of misconduct in response to union organizing at its stores across the United States. […] I take notice that despite several Board orders and dozens of ALJ decisions, Respondent’s behavior continues unabated.”

To date, Workers United has filed more than 1,000 ULPs, including more than 125 since January 2025. More than 650 unresolved charges remain, including a set of national ULPs around bad faith bargaining and unilateral policy changes, and specific ULPs around retaliatory firings and discipline.

Trouble Brewing for Starbucks as Union Baristas Strike

Workers United and Starbucks are not currently engaged in contract negotiations as Starbucks has refused to put forth new proposals that address union baristas’ demands. Elected union delegates overwhelmingly rejected Starbucks’ insufficient contract offer in April 2025 which failed to improve wages or benefits in the first year of the contract and didn’t put forth proposals to address chronic understaffing.

Workers United President Lynne Fox penned a column laying out the stakes for Starbucks if it fails to settle a fair contract with Starbucks Workers United baristas before the holiday season. The same week, over 45 major organizations representing more than 85 million people sent a demand letter to Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol urging Starbucks to finalize a fair contract and pledging not to cross picket lines if baristas are forced to strike.

Investors and analysts remain concerned about Starbucks’ business over a year into Niccol’s tenure. New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, PIRC, SHARE and Trillium Asset Management sent a letter to the Starbucks Board of Directors in October. The SOC Investment Group also recently wrote to the board sounding the alarm on the company’s underperformance, and major European institutional investors face formal OECD complaints regarding Starbucks’ failure to adhere to international standards on human rights, labor rights, and consumer protection.

Starbucks is also facing issues with consumers, as shown by a new report released by the Strategic Organizing Center (SOC) based on Nielsen surveys finding Starbucks customers continue to experience long lines and wait times, suggesting the coffee giant has not meaningfully addressed concerns that have persisted in recent years.

Finalizing a fair union contract would cost Starbucks less than one average day’s sales and less than Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol’s $96 million compensation for just four months of work in 2024, which is the biggest CEO-to-worker pay gap in the country and 6,666 times the average barista’s salary.

For over six months, Starbucks has stonewalled union baristas by refusing to put forth new proposals to address their core demands:

* Better hours to improve staffing in our stores. Understaffing is rampant, leading to longer wait times as customer orders stream in. Yet too many baristas still aren’t getting enough hours to pay the bills or meet the threshold for benefits. Starbucks needs to invest in increasing barista hours.
* Higher take-home pay. Too many baristas struggle to get by, while executives make millions. Starbucks needs to put more money toward barista’s take-home pay.
* Resolution for hundreds of outstanding unfair labor practice charges for union busting. The coffee giant has committed more labor law violations than any employer in modern history. Starbucks needs to fully resolve legal issues impacting baristas.


Photos from ULP strike action in York, Penn. (courtesy of Starbucks Workers United)


https://sbworkersunited.org/union-starbucks-baristas-unfair-labor-practice-strike-grows-as-workers-in-25-new-cities-join-historic-action/