Post by : Badri Ariffin

Starbucks’ efforts to revive its coffeehouse culture and win back customers are facing a fresh challenge — a nationwide strike by unionised baristas demanding better pay and staffing.

Picket lines are expected outside several US stores on Thursday, coinciding with the company’s popular Red Cup Day — a key holiday sales event. The strike, organised by Starbucks Workers United, marks the third major walkout since the union’s launch four years ago and will affect stores in at least 25 cities.

For many workers, the company’s new “Back to Starbucks” strategy — which promises faster service, ceramic mugs, and renewed focus on café experiences — has instead brought heavier workloads. “Every single day has become very difficult to be a barista,” said one union representative.

Starbucks, however, insists that most of its 10,000 company-operated US outlets will continue operating smoothly, adding that it remains ready to return to the negotiating table.

The latest labour unrest comes at a crucial time for the coffee giant. After years of sluggish growth, Starbucks posted a modest 1% global sales increase last quarter — its first rise in nearly two years. But US sales remained flat, and the company’s reputation has taken a hit amid leadership changes, rising prices, and consumer pushback.

Since taking charge last year, CEO Brian Niccol — known for turning around Chipotle and Taco Bell — has pushed to restore Starbucks’ café charm, enforcing stricter standards and investing over $500 million in staffing and training. Yet progress has been uneven, with hundreds of store closures, layoffs, and ongoing disputes over pay and working conditions.

Union organisers, representing workers at more than 600 stores, say contract talks have stalled and accuse the company of failing to offer fair wage increases. Starbucks maintains that its compensation and benefits already make it “the best job in retail.”

While only about 5% of Starbucks’ US stores are unionised, analysts warn the continued standoff could threaten the brand’s image — especially at a moment when it is fighting to rebuild customer trust and recapture its iconic coffeehouse spirit.

#Business News