Coffee enthusiasts everywhere, listen up!
New York City’s newly elected socialist mayor, Zoran Mamdani, has urged his supporters to boycott Starbucks amid ongoing strikes by union members across the nation.
This move could shed light on how Mamdani, a steadfast union ally who has made promises like free bus rides, rent freezes, and accessible childcare, intends to leverage his influence in office. A report from Business Insider brings attention to this situation.
“Starbucks employees nationwide are on strike for fair labor practices and contracts,” Mamdani tweeted to his 1.1 million followers on Thursday evening. “I won’t be purchasing from Starbucks while workers are striking, and I invite you to stand with us.” He added, “Together, we can send a compelling message: No contracts, no coffee.”
Neither Starbucks nor Mamdani’s campaign responded promptly to requests for comment.
On Thursday, unionized employees in over 25 cities participated in the strike, which coincided with Red Cup Day—an event where Starbucks hands out festive cups to customers. Historically, this day marks a significant sales opportunity for the coffee chain.
Starbucks reported that around 99.9% of its locations remained operational.
Starbucks Workers United, which represents about 9,000 baristas out of over 200,000, has accused the corporation of failing to negotiate effectively. Unions have cautioned that without progress in securing a fair contract, strikes may escalate further.
Starbucks, on its part, has claimed that the union’s demands are unreasonable. The company argues that it already provides “the best jobs in retail,” with an average wage of $19 an hour—which they say equates to more than $30 with benefits.
This strike marks the fourth organized action by the union against Starbucks since 2023, and the third since Brian Nicol took charge in 2024.
Efforts to negotiate had seemed promising last February, but discussions quickly fell apart amidst accusations from both sides just a few months later.
Workers United disclosed that over 1,000 complaints have been filed with the National Labor Relations Board against Starbucks, alleging unfair labor practices.
The labor committee has accused Starbucks of employing anti-union tactics, such as closing stores and terminating employees involved in strikes—claims the company denies.
This isn’t the first time that union members have targeted Red Cup Day during contract negotiations.
Last year, approximately 60 stores were temporarily closed due to strikes coinciding with a holiday event.
As tensions escalate, workers are pushing back against some of Nicol’s restructuring plans.
After taking office, he announced intentions to purchase 200,000 Sharpies for baristas to write cheerful messages on coffee cups. However, many employees criticized this initiative, claiming it was time-consuming and might lead customers to misinterpret the intent as flirting.
Starbucks recently faced backlash for shutting down hundreds of locations across the U.S., including 59 unionized stores, often with little notice.
This decision led to confusion among employees, city officials, and landlords, particularly affecting several Starbucks in New York City.
