(Reuters) – The union representing more than 10,000 Starbucks (Nasdaq) workers said late on Saturday that workers had expanded their strike to include four more US cities, including New York.
The five-day strike, which began Friday and initially closed Starbucks cafes in Los Angeles, Chicago and Seattle, has added New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia and St. Louis, the UAW said in a statement. It did not say where the New Jersey strike occurred.
Starbucks did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours.
Talks between the coffee chain and the union reached an impasse over unresolved issues over wages, staffing and schedules, leading to the strike.
The union also strikes in 10 cities Columbus (Washington:) Denver and Pittsburgh, during the busy holiday season that may affect the company's Christmas sales.
The labor union warned on Friday that the strike could reach “hundreds of stores” by Tuesday, Christmas Eve.
Starbucks began negotiations with the union in April. This month, it said it conducted more than eight bargaining sessions during which 30 agreements were reached.
The company operates more than 11,000 stores in the United States, and employs about 200,000 workers.
