Cover: Unionized Starbucks baristas picket their Alpharetta store in November 2025 as part of national strike over stalled contract negotiations. Credit: Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon.
Starbucks Workers United || After thousands of workers engaged in the longest ULP strike in Starbucks’ history, union baristas sent over a reasonable list of solutions to some of the biggest issues we see in our stores. And now, the company has agreed to resume contract negotiations with us. In 2024, our union and the company worked together and tentatively agreed to many improvements to our stores before the company broke their commitment to a path forward with us.
Our proposals include a new $17 minimum wage floor nationwide, three baristas on the floor at all times, expanded protections around everything from scheduling to discipline to safety, a fair dress code, and much more.
This is only because of the continued action of Starbucks partners around the country. When we fight, we win! If you’re an ally or Starbucks customer, sign our No Contract No Coffee pledge to get updates from union baristas and calls to action in your area.
If you’re a Starbucks partner, now is the time to organize and include your voice in your union! Link in bio! #tobeapartner #nocontractnocoffee
There’s power in collective action. Let’s finish this contract, Starbucks!
Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon || Starbucks will resume contract negotiations with Starbucks Workers United (SBWU) baristas in April after 131 days on strike, the union announced Tuesday. Starbucks did not immediately return Atlanta Civic Circle’s request for comment.
Starbucks will resume contract negotiations with Starbucks Workers United (SBWU) baristas in April after 131 days on strike, the union announced Tuesday. Starbucks did not immediately return Atlanta Civic Circle’s request for comment.
Thousands of unionized Starbucks baristas walked off the job on Nov. 13 last year for SBWU’s longest strike in its four-year fight for a union contract.
“After we raised our voices, waged a historic unfair labor practice strike that rallied the support of hundreds of thousands of supporters, and presented a reasonable, fair contract deal to Starbucks, we’re set to bargain with the company starting in April,” SBWU said in a March 24 statement.
Starbucks will resume contract negotiations with Starbucks Workers United (SBWU) baristas in April after 131 days on strike, the union announced Tuesday. Starbucks did not immediately return Atlanta Civic Circle’s request for comment.
Thousands of unionized Starbucks baristas walked off the job on Nov. 13 last year for SBWU’s longest strike in its four-year fight for a union contract.
“After we raised our voices, waged a historic unfair labor practice strike that rallied the support of hundreds of thousands of supporters, and presented a reasonable, fair contract deal to Starbucks, we’re set to bargain with the company starting in April,” SBWU said in a March 24 statement.
Over 14,000 unionized baristas are demanding higher pay, better staffing and for Starbucks to resolve over 600 unfair labor practice charges that SBWU has filed with the National Labor Relations Board.
The union has dialed back its pay increase demands since going on strike over four months ago. It’s now asking for a minimum hourly wage of $17 per hour, down from $20 per hour in November, and 4% annual pay raises, instead of 5%.
The union is also demanding that at least three baristas staff a shop instead of the current two, that Starbucks allot more hours to current workers before making new hires, and expanded protections for scheduling, discipline, and safety.
About 3,000 unionized workers in over 100 cities participated in the nationwide walkoffs at their peak, including three unionized Starbucks shops in Roswell and Alpharetta. However, the union called off the local picket lines in January.
The lengthy strike followed two years of stalled union negotiations with Starbucks for a national framework contract. That will serve as a template for each SBWU store’s contract, which the coffee giant has insisted on negotiating individually. There were 667 unionized stores at the end of 2025, which Starbucks has said make up about 6% of its over 10,000 company-owned US stores.
The union is still asking the public to delete the Starbucks app and refrain from buying Starbucks until it’s won a contract.
https://sbworkersunited.org/our-story/
In Starbucks’ 2025 annual report, filed Nov. 14, 2025 with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the company said the SBWU work stoppages could “negatively impact our operations […] and can also have a negative impact on our reputation and brand.”
“Additionally, while we respect the rights of partners to organize, our position with respect to unions and the unionization of partners could negatively impact how our brand is perceived and could have material adverse effects on our business, including on our financial results,” the report said.
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