More than 1,000 Starbucks baristas from 75 locations in the U.S. have initiated a strike on Sunday in response to a new dress code implemented by the company, a union representing the coffee giant’s employees reported on Wednesday.
As of Monday, the company has simplified its dress code to highlight its signature green apron. According to the coffee chain’s updated policy, baristas can wear any black shirt, whether short- or long-sleeved, collared or button-up, paired with khaki, black or blue denim pants. Starbucks previously said it would provide two branded T-shirts for staff members at no cost.
The new dress code affects employees at company-operated and licensed stores in the U.S. and Canada. In April, Starbucks Workers United sent a letter to the Seattle-based coffee maker as “a formal request that no change to the current dress code be implemented at Union-represented stores until the parties conclude bargaining.”
On Wednesday, Starbucks said that the strike was affecting its 10,000 company-operated stores in the U.S. to a limited extent.
Phil Gee, a Starbucks spokesperson said, “Thousands of Starbucks partners (employees) came to work today ready to serve their customers and communities. The biggest update to our dress code is simple: wear a black shirt — either your own or one we provide. Workers United represents less than 5 percent of our workforce [– 570 of 10,000-plus stores.]”
The spokesperson said, “While the union is focused on a simplified dress code, we’re focused on providing the best job in retail with a wage and benefits package that averages more than $30 per hour for hourly partners. It would be more productive if the union would put the same effort into coming back to the table to finalize a reasonable contract.”
Less than 1 percent of Starbucks stores have experienced any disruption over the last 4 days cumulatively, according to the company. Starbucks and Workers United are said to have held more than nine bargaining sessions over 20 days and three mediation sessions over five days with a federal mediator since last April. Starbucks has reached 30-plus “meaningful agreements about hundreds of topics” that Workers United delegates told the company were important to them, according to the spokesman.
According to AP, Starbucks Workers United said it filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board.