Starbucks’ unionized baristas plan their largest-ever strike for the Red Cup Day promotion Thursday
LA TimesThe Starbucks Workers United union said the strike Thursday will involve thousands of workers at hundreds of stores. Unionized Starbucks Corp. baristas plan to hold their biggest strike yet this week, accusing the coffee giant of refusing to fairly negotiate at cafes that voted to organize. The company, which denies wrongdoing, said it hopes that the union’s “priorities will shift to include the shared success of our partners and working to negotiate union contracts for those they represent.” Starbucks Workers United has prevailed in elections at more than 350 of Starbucks’ roughly 9,000 corporate-run U.S. stores, starting with a landmark win nearly two years ago in Buffalo, N.Y. Regional directors of the National Labor Relations Board have issued more than 100 complaints against Starbucks, alleging illegal anti-union tactics including closing stores, firing activists and refusing to fairly negotiate at unionized cafes.