Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol says the company’s app needs to be more transparent when it comes to pricing.
starbucks employee According to the union, which represents more than 10,000 baristas, it has expanded its strike to more cities and closed 59 stores across the US as of Monday.
The strike began in Los Angeles, Chicago and Seattle on Friday, but has since spread to stores across the country, including Boston, Dallas, Portland, New York City, Denver, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and St. Louis.
“We respect our partners’ right to engage in lawful strike activity, and we appreciate the thousands of partners across the country who are doing their best to support each other and provide our customers with the Starbucks experience,” the company said in a statement. “Continuing to do.”
Employees are protesting against the lack of progress in contract negotiations with the company.
Starbucks responds to union demands amid employee strike
Baristas protest in front of Starbucks in Burbank, California on December 20, 2024. (Reuters/Reuters Photos)
Starbucks Workers United Said the company has failed to meet a commitment it made 10 months ago to reach a labor agreement this year. Negotiations between Starbucks and the union remain stalled due to unresolved issues over wages, staffing and schedules.
The company said, “Workers United’s proposals call for an immediate increase in the minimum wage for hourly partners by 64% and 77% over the life of the three-year contract. This is not sustainable.”
Starbucks said the disruptions caused by the strike do not have a significant impact on operations as only a small number of stores are affected nationwide.
Unionized Starbucks workers vote to authorize a strike
Baristas protest in front of Starbucks on December 23, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Reuters/Reuters Photos)
The union warned on Friday that the strike could reach “hundreds of stores” by Christmas Eve. Starbucks operates more than 11,000 stores and employs approximately 200,000 employees in the United States.
The company and the union have been bargaining since April. Starbucks said it has committed to annual wage increases of 1.5% or more for unionized workers, even if it gave less increases to non-union workers in any given year.
Starbucks baristas make an average of $18 an hour in the US, but that also includes benefits like health care, free college tuition, and paid family leave. salary package The company said its price averages $30 an hour for a barista who works at least 20 hours per week.
Baristas protest in front of Starbucks on December 23, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Reuters/Reuters Photos)
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However, employees aren’t satisfied, noting that Starbucks’ new president and CEO Brian Niccol, who started in September, could make more than $100 million in his first year.
The union also wants the company to resolve outstanding legal issues, including hundreds of unfair labor practice allegations that workers have filed with the National Labor Relations Board.
Reuters contributed to this report.
