Starbucks Red Cup Day: Starbucks faced disruptions at hundreds of its stores as workers walked off their jobs during the Red Cup Day promotional event. The walkout, organized by Workers United, aimed to highlight concerns about staffing levels and schedules. While Starbucks stated that most of its U.S. stores were open, a few dozen were affected by the strike. Red Cup Day is a significant promotional event for Starbucks, attracting increased foot traffic. The walkout, involving about 9,000 Starbucks employees represented by Workers United, sought to address issues of understaffing, demanding improved working conditions. Workers complained about being overburdened during peak periods, leading to long wait times and customer frustration. The union emphasized the importance of addressing staffing concerns on one of the busiest days for Starbucks stores. Mary Boca, a Starbucks barista, voiced the need for higher pay and additional staff, citing challenges during peak periods. Some locations reportedly faced difficulties in hiring due to issues such as the inability of customers to tip. Starbucks, which has nearly 10,000 U.S. company-owned locations, noted that less than 3% of its stores were represented by a union. This walkout follows a pattern from the previous year when workers at over 100 U.S. company-owned Starbucks locations held a one-day strike on Red Cup Day. The recent disruption comes after Starbucks announced a plan to increase hourly pay for U.S. retail workers by at least 3% from 2024. However, this move faced criticism from employees who considered it inadequate, given the company’s significant revenue increase and recent wage hikes in other industries. Starbucks Red Cup Day The walkout underscores ongoing challenges in the service industry, where workers advocate for better working conditions, pay, and staffing levels. #StarbucksWalkout #WorkersRights #RedCupDay #LaborDispute #ServiceIndustryProblems #EmployeeAdvocacy #StarbucksWorkersUnited
