Nationwide Starbucks Strike Today: Store Closures, Worker Demands, and How It Affects Your Morning Coffee

Workers at Starbucks locations across the United States walked off the job today, launching what organizers call the “Red Cup Rebellion” to coincide with the coffee chain’s wildly popular Red Cup Day promotion. Led by Starbucks Workers United, the one-day strike spans at least 65 stores in more than 40 cities, from Seattle to Miami, disrupting one of the busiest sales events on the company’s holiday calendar. Why baristas are striking • First contract push: Nearly three years after baristas began voting to unionize, no union store has secured a first labor agreement. Workers say stalling at the bargaining table leaves them without enforceable protections on scheduling, wages and benefits. • Staffing and safety: Employees report chronic understaffing during high-traffic promotions like Red Cup Day, claiming it leads to burnout and longer customer wait times. • Fair pay demands: The union is seeking starting wages of at least $20 an hour in most markets, automatic inflation adjustments and improved tipping options. What customers can expect Starbucks says the “overwhelming majority” of its 16,000 U.S. cafés will remain open, staffed by non-union partners and managers. The company maintains that it has raised average hourly pay to nearly $19 and invested in new scheduling tools, while accusing the union of “escalating tactics” instead of agreeing to bargaining dates. Impact on Red Cup Day sales Red Cup Day traditionally sparks a surge in foot traffic as customers line up for free limited-edition holiday tumblers with qualifying beverage purchases. Analysts say even a partial walkout could pinch same-store sales for the day, amplify social-media backlash and add pressure ahead of Starbucks’ fiscal Q1 earnings call in early January. What happens next • Rolling actions: Organizers warn that today’s stoppage could expand into a series of rolling strikes through the holiday season if contract talks remain stalled. • NLRB complaints: More than 100 unfair-labor-practice charges against Starbucks are pending, including allegations of illegal firings and store closures; the company denies wrongdoing. • Possible mediation: Labor experts suggest federal mediation could break the impasse, but only if both sides agree to participate in good faith. Bottom line The Starbucks strike underscores a broader wave of labor activism sweeping U.S. retail and hospitality, where workers are leveraging peak-sales moments to demand better compensation and a voice on the job. Whether the “Red Cup Rebellion” compels Starbucks to fast-track a first union contract—or simply hardens positions—will shape not only the company’s holiday results but the trajectory of union organizing across the sector.