Starbucks Workers Prepare for Potential Strike: Key Information

Starbucks Workers Vote on Strike Authorization

Starbucks workers are gearing up for a vote that may lead to a strike next week. The strike authorization vote is set to begin this Friday, lasting several days, with results expected to be shared by Starbucks Workers United. This development comes on the heels of previous national strikes, the latest of which protested a new dress code.

Background on Worker Actions

• Workers have staged two national strikes over the last year, most recently in May.
• Previous strikes included a significant walkout in December 2024.

This voting period will coincide with rallies and pickets planned outside Starbucks stores in several U.S. cities. Starbucks Workers United, which originated in Buffalo, New York, in 2021, now represents over 12,000 workers across approximately 550 Starbucks cafes nationwide.

Negotiation Stalemate

Contract negotiations between Starbucks and Workers United began in May 2024 but broke down the following December. A mediation process in early 2025 ended with Workers United rejecting Starbucks' proposals. Although 33 tentative agreements have been reached, the union asserts these are primarily non-economic.

Starbucks claims it has participated in nearly 200 hours of negotiations but argues that Workers United presented an incomplete outline of contracts for members to vote on.