Authorities reported that over a dozen Starbucks strikers were taken into custody on Thursday outside the coffee chain’s headquarters in Midtown.
Around 1:22 p.m., roughly 80 union strikers gathered outside the Empire State Building, prompting a police response, according to the NYPD.
Officers arrested 12 individuals—six men and six women—for disorderly conduct after they allegedly ignored police requests to clear entrances and exits, sources indicated.
On Friday, the union extended its ongoing strike to more than 120 locations across 85 cities, insisting on better wages and staffing conditions at the popular chain.
Starbucks Workers United stated, “Union baristas are taking action to remind Starbucks executives that wherever Starbucks operates, barista picket lines will be present until a fair contract is established and union-busting stops.”
This strike is poised to become the longest in the company’s history, having started on Red Cup Day, November 13th.
On Monday, Mayor-elect Zoran Mamdani and Senator Bernie Sanders lent their support to the striking workers in Brooklyn.
Mamdani remarked from the Gowanus Starbucks picket line that, “We are united in creating a New York where all workers can live with dignity.”
He added, “This is a union city, and we must ensure that those who sustain this city can afford to live here.”
In a supportive move, Mayor Eric Adams announced a landmark settlement for 15,000 Starbucks workers who were allegedly denied predictable work schedules, providing $50 for each week worked from July 4, 2021, to July 7, 2024.
Starbucks maintains that 99% of its stores across the U.S. are functioning with minimal disruption despite the ongoing strike.
Authorities mentioned that they are still investigating the events of Thursday’s picket line.
