The five-day strike against Starbucks has expanded to nine states, according to the union, with New York, Missouri, and New Jersey joining the strike on Sunday. The strike began with workers in Colorado, Ohio, and Pennsylvania on Saturday. The union, Starbucks Workers United, represents over 10,000 workers at over 525 stores.
The strike is in response to a wage proposal from the company, which the union deemed unacceptable. The union is seeking wage increases for baristas, with a framework in place since February to reach a labor agreement. In December, the company proposed no immediate wage increases and a guarantee of only 1.5% in future years, equal to less than 50 cents an hour for most workers.
The union said it is seeking a fair deal, with a statement from its president, Lynne Fox, saying, “Union baristas know their value, and they’re not going to accept a proposal that doesn’t treat them as true partners.” The strike comes during the busy holiday season, when Starbucks gets a boost from its fall and winter products.
The company said it has experienced minimal disruptions to its store operations, with only a small handful of its US stores affected. However, the union has reported that the strike could reach “hundreds of stores” by Tuesday, a small portion of Starbucks’ over 10,000 company-operated stores with over 200,000 employees.
The union is also seeking the resolution of hundreds of outstanding unfair labor practices, which it claims Starbucks management has failed to address. The company, however, claims it cannot afford to meet the union’s wage demands, saying its proposals call for an immediate increase in the minimum wage of hourly partners by 64% and 77% over the life of a three-year contract. The union has denied making such demands, stating that the company’s claim mischaracterizes and combines various separate demands.