Written by Gursimran Mahar and Bipasha Dey
(Reuters) – The strike at Starbucks (Nasdaq:) will expand to more than 300 U.S. stores on Tuesday, with more than 5,000 workers expected to walk out before the five-day walkout ends later on Christmas Eve, the labor union said. . He said.
Starbucks Workers United, which represents employees at 525 stores across the country, said more than 60 U.S. stores in 12 major cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Boston and Seattle, were closed on Monday.
Talks between Starbucks and the union have reached an impasse over unresolved issues over wages, staffing and schedules, leading to the strike that began Friday.
Through a union contract, benefits, wages and improved working conditions can be in writing and cannot be reduced without bargaining, according to the United Workers website.
The union added that the Christmas Eve strike on Tuesday is expected to be the largest ever at the café chain. “These strikes are an initial show of strength, and we are just getting started,” one Oregon barista said in a union statement.
When asked to respond, a Starbucks spokesperson pointed to a statement the company issued on Monday.
It said 97% to 99% of Starbucks stores will continue to operate and serve customers, adding that it expects “very limited impact” on overall operations. Starbucks has more than 10,000 company-operated stores across the United States
The company said, “We are ready to continue negotiations when the union returns to the negotiating table.”
The Seattle-based company had previously claimed that union representatives ended the negotiating session prematurely.
Earlier this month, the workers' group rejected an offer to take no immediate pay rise and guarantee a 1.5% pay rise in future years.
The union also said Starbucks has not yet presented its workers with a “serious economic proposal.”
