Baristas at Starbucks in Burbank traded their work aprons for picket signs on Friday. They join unionized workers at other Starbucks stores a five-day strike to demand collective bargaining agreements.
The Alameda Avenue store normally opens at 4:30 a.m. but remains closed Friday morning with a sign on the door informing customers they will be closed that day. Employees stood outside early in the morning holding signs that read “No contract, no coffee.”
Another Burbank Starbucks on Shelton is joining Friday’s strike, and locations in Chicago and Seattle are also participating. Starbucks has nearly 10,000 stores in the US
Starbucks Workers United, the union that has organized workers in 535 U.S. stores since 2021, says Starbucks has failed to commitment made in February to conclude an employment contract. The February agreement also promised to resolve legal issues, but the union says hundreds of unfair labor practice charges still remain outstanding.
To reignite negotiations, unfair labor practice strikes were announced in the three main cities on Friday. The union said they will escalate every day with more locations joining in, eventually reaching stores from coast to coast unless the collective bargaining agreement is reached.
The union said the company recently proposed an economic package with no new pay increases for unionized baristas, and a 1.5% increase over the next few years.
Starbucks said it has held nine bargaining sessions with the union since April and has reached more than 30 agreements with the union. The company said Workers United ended a bargaining session early this week. “We are prepared to continue negotiations to reach an agreement. We need the union to come back to the table,” Starbucks said in a statement.
Starbucks said it already offers rewards and benefits — including free tuition and paid family leave — worth $30 an hour for baristas who work at least 20 hours a week.
