According to the union, over 300 stores in 45 states were affected

Starbucks workers expanded a sustained strike across the country Tuesday that has spread to 300 stores in 45 states, the workers’ union told USA TODAY.

The five-day strike began Friday and initially closed Starbucks locations in Los Angeles, Chicago and Seattle before spreading to cafes in New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Denver, Pittsburgh and Columbus, according to Starbucks Workers United. Ohio expanded.

Now more than 5,000 workers are planning to walk off the job on Christmas Eve.

The work stoppage, described by the union as a “strike before Christmas,” comes as Starbucks and union representatives failed to reach an agreement after some progress in the first months of 2024. The union said it “negotiated for hundreds of hours” and the company ultimately presented workers with a package that did not meet its wage or working conditions requirements.

The stimulus package did not include a current wage increase for union baristas and promised a 1.5% increase in wages in the coming years, which amounts to less than 50 cents for most workers, the union said in a news release shared with USA TODAY.

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“As a barista, I make $15.49 an hour…Half the baristas in my shop drive 30 minutes one way because they can’t afford to live closer to work,” said barista Lauren Hollingsworth from Ashland, Oregon, in a press release. “That is absurd. Starbucks has lost its way. We know it because we see it in our stores every day.”

Starbucks says “minor disruptions” will not impact operations

The days leading up to Christmas are traditionally one of Starbucks’ busiest times of the year, the union said. This year they will be dominated by what the union calls the largest strike in Starbucks history.

Starbucks spokesman Phil Gee said the “few disruptions” are expected to have a “very limited impact” on business operations.

In a statement shared with USA TODAY on Tuesday, Starbucks said only about 170 stores were not open as scheduled Tuesday morning and that 98% of stores with over 200,000 Green France partners were continuing to operate and serve customers.

“We respect our partners’ right to engage in lawful strike activities, and we appreciate the thousands of partners across the country who continue to support each other and deliver the Starbucks experience to our customers,” Gee released in a statement obtained by USA TODAY Monday.

“The union decided last week to withdraw from the negotiations. We stand ready to continue negotiations when the union returns to the negotiating table,” it said.

Hundreds of stores are joining the union campaign

Late last week, Starbucks Workers United warned that the strike could reach “hundreds of stores” by Christmas Eve. Union officials said 98% of union partners recently voted to protest low wages, staffing problems and benefits.

Starbucks Workers United represents employees in 525 of the 11,000 Starbucks stores nationwide, representing 11,000 of Starbucks’ approximately 200,000 total employees. In 2024, over 100 stores voted to join the union, including six new ones in Maine, North Carolina, Texas, New York City and Seattle this week alone.

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