Unprecedented Strike: Starbucks Workers Unite

Over 5,000 Starbucks workers from more than 300 stores are expected to strike, demanding better wages and conditions. Starbucks Workers United indicates that this will be the largest strike, affecting operations in key U.S. cities. The company, however, foresees minimal disruption and readiness to negotiate.

An expansive strike at Starbucks locations across the United States is set to escalate, affecting over 300 stores as more than 5,000 employees prepare to cease work from Tuesday until the holiday weekend. The initiative by the workers' union, Starbucks Workers United, signifies a push for improved wages, staffing, and schedules.

The union's representatives, covering staff at 525 outlets nationwide, reported the closure of over 60 stores in significant urban centers like New York, Los Angeles, Boston, and Seattle. According to an Oregon barista, the scale of the Christmas Eve strike underscores the union's determination, marking it as the largest in Starbucks' history.

In response, a Starbucks spokesperson asserted that the company anticipates limited operational impact, as the majority of its over 10,000 company-operated U.S. stores will remain open. Starbucks expressed readiness to resume negotiations, despite previous union walkouts, and criticized the union's rejection of their earlier economic propositions.

(With inputs from agencies.)