Seattle Starbucks baristas join strike on company's Red Cup Day
Baristas at three Starbucks Corp. (Nasdaq: SBUX) coffee shops in Seattle joined a nationwide protest Thursday, disrupting operations at more than 100 stores on the company's annual Red Cup Day, when it rolls out its holiday drink season.
Together, they're calling for the company to raise wages, increase staffing and bargain in good faith with unionized stores.
In Seattle, workers at Starbucks locations at Fifth Avenue and Pike Street, Broadway and East Denny Way, and University Way went on strike and picketed, asking customers to take their business elsewhere. Workers at stores in Bellingham, Everett and Tumwater also joined what Starbucks Workers United called a "red cup rebellion."
"In those locations where partners choose to participate, we respect their right to engage in lawful protest activity — though our focus has been, and continues to be, on uplifting the Starbucks experience for our partners and customers," a Starbucks spokesperson said in a statement. "We’ve been at the table ready to engage in good faith and encourage the union to do the same."
https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2022/11/17/starbucks-baristas-strike-red-cup-day.html