‘No contract, no coffee’: NYC mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani urges boycott of Starbucks amid nationwide strike

Why is the timing of strike important

His appeal came as Starbucks Workers United launched an open-ended strike branded the “Red Cup Rebellion,” timed to coincide with the company’s hugely popular Red Cup Day, one of its busiest annual events. Since 2018, Starbucks has marked the day by giving customers a free reusable cup with the purchase of any holiday drink.

Why are Starbucks union baristas protesting?

Baristas in more than 25 US cities walked out, turning the high-traffic promotional day into a flashpoint for their long-running dispute with management.

The union, which represents roughly 9,000 Starbucks workers, accused the company of refusing to negotiate and warned that the stoppage could escalate if talks continue to stall. Starbucks rejected those allegations, insisting it already provides competitive pay and benefits and that the union’s demands are excessive.

Workers United says it has filed over 1,000 unfair labour practice complaints with the National Labor Relations Board.

“As of today, Starbucks workers across the country are officially ON STRIKE,” the union wrote through a post on social media. “And we’re prepared for this to become the biggest and longest ULP strike in Starbucks history. Say #NoContractNoCoffee with us: DON’T BUY STARBUCKS for the duration of our open-ended ULP strike! $SBUX.”

There is no date set for the strike to end, and more stores are prepared to join if Starbucks doesn’t reach a contract agreement with the union.

This marks the union’s fourth strike since 2023 and the third since CEO Brian Niccol took charge in 2024. A similar Red Cup Day strike last year forced around 60 stores to temporarily close.

The company has also faced backlash over the recent closure of hundreds of outlets nationwide — including 59 unionised stores with minimal notice.