Starbucks workers are striking in dozens of cities across the country in time for Red Cup Day

Starbucks Workers United planned strikes at certain stores in 41 cities starting on Thursday, Nov. 13, as Starbucks and the union struggle to agree to a contractual agreement. The first day of the strike falls on Starbucks' popular Red Cup Day, when the retailer distributes free, reusable red cups to customers with the order of a drink.

Starbucks and Workers United began negotiations on a contract for unionized baristas in February 2024, but no agreement has been reached, with both sides pointing fingers at the other.

During a news conference the morning of Nov. 13, Workers United Labor Union President Lynne Fox said throughout her tenure with the organization, she had "never seen an employer act with such reckless disregard for breaking labor laws over and over again." In the past year, Starbucks Workers United has filed more than 100 Unfair Labor Practice complaints against Starbucks, she said.

Starbucks Workers United spokesperson Michelle Eisen said during the news conference that the union had not received communication from the company since the strikes began.

Starbucks Corp. spokesperson Jaci Anderson told USA TODAY on Nov. 12 that the company was disappointed the union is choosing to strike rather than negotiate.

“When they’re ready to come back, we’re ready to talk,” she said.

Here's what to know about the Red Cup Day strike and why some baristas are on the picket line.

Why are some Starbucks baristas striking on Red Cup Day?

Starbucks Workers United, which represents employees at about 550 unionized shops among the coffee chain’s estimated 10,000 U.S. locations, says its three core demands are better hours, higher take-home pay and resolutions for alleged unfair labor practices.

Better hours

During the Nov. 13 news conference, Eisen said baristas struggle to be scheduled 19 hours a week, making it difficult for them to qualify for Starbucks' benefits.

In order to qualify for these benefits, like healthcare, paid sick time and Starbucks' well-known Spotify premium membership, part-time baristas must work at least 240 hours over three consecutive months, according to the Starbucks website. That is equivalent to 20 hours worked per week.

According to Anderson, the employee experience has improved over the past year since CEO Brian Niccol introduced the company's Back to Starbucks strategy and Green Apron Service. She said nearly 85% of Starbucks employees – more than 166,000 workers – report receiving their preferred hours.

Higher take-home pay

When it comes to take-home pay, the union did not specify to USA TODAY what they have requested from the company. Anderson told USA TODAY on Nov. 13 that employee pay and benefits average to more than $30 per hour for hourly workers.

But, Diego Franco, a Starbucks barista of six years in Chicago, said during the news conference that he gets paid $17 per hour. A living wage for a single person working a full-time job in the Chicago metro area is just under $24 per hour, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

What does Starbucks say about the strikes?

Despite the strikes, Anderson told USA TODAY that Starbucks is ready to negotiate with the union.

“We are disappointed that Workers United, who only represents around 4% of our partners, has voted to authorize a strike instead of returning to the bargaining table," Anderson said on Nov. 12. "When they’re ready to come back, we’re ready to talk."

When contacted by USA TODAY on Nov. 13, Anderson reiterated that most stores remained open for Red Cup Day.

"In the event a coffeehouse experiences a temporary closure as a result of Workers United’s actions, I can assure there will be stores nearby open and ready to serve customers – we have plenty of Red Cups to give away and are excited to have a great day with our customers," Anderson said.

Where are Starbucks strikes planned?

According to a Starbucks Workers United news release, stores in the following cities may be impacted by the strikes. The union did not provide a list of the specific store addresses. Rallies will be held at several of the participating stores from 4 to 5 p.m. local time on Nov. 13. A map with more information about each rally is available at nocontractnocoffee.org/.

  • Anaheim, California
  • Long Beach, California
  • San Diego, California
  • Santa Clarita, California
  • Santa Cruz, California
  • Scotts Valley, California
  • Seal Beach, California
  • Soquel, California
  • Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Lafayette, Colorado
  • Des Plaines, Illinois
  • Evanston, Illinois
  • Geneva, Illinois
  • Alpharetta, Georgia
  • Roswell, Georgia
  • Chanhassen, Minnesota
  • Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Saint Louis, Missouri
  • Brooklyn, New York
  • New York, New York
  • Columbus, Ohio
  • Lewis Center, Ohio
  • Reynoldsburg, Ohio
  • Upper Arlington, Ohio
  • Worthington, Ohio
  • Beaverton, Oregon
  • Damascus, Oregon
  • Eugene, Oregon
  • Gresham, Oregon
  • Portland, Oregon
  • Dickson City, Pennsylvania
  • Lancaster, Pennsylvania
  • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Dallas, Texas
  • Denton, Texas
  • Farmers Branch, Texas
  • Richmond, Virginia
  • Mechanicsville, Virginia
  • Redmond, Washington
  • Seattle, Washington

How long will the strikes last?

Starbucks Workers United spokesperson Michelle Eisen, a barista of 15 years, told USA TODAY "workers are tired" of the coffee chain not meeting their financial demands and the union is prepared to continue striking beyond Red Cup Day.

"With no set end date to the strike, baristas across more than 550 current union stores are prepared to continue escalating to make this the largest, longest strike in company history if Starbucks fails to deliver a fair union contract and resolve unfair labor practice charges," reads a union statement obtained by USA TODAY.

Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why are some Starbucks workers striking? What to know about 'Red Cup Rebellion'

Reporting by Greta Cross, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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