(Bloomberg) – Hundreds of Starbucks have left their jobs since Sunday to protest the company’s new dress code, and more strikes may occur in the next few days, according to the union representing Baristas.
Starbucks worker Manchester United said the strike occurred in more than 50 stores in the United States. The union represents the barista at about 570 of the chain’s locations operated by more than 10,000 companies in the United States. Starbucks said there was no significant impact on store operations at the national level, with most stores open and serving customers as usual.
Monday’s coffee chain implemented a new dress code that required baristas to wear black solids, a change from previous exercises that could allow any color. There are new rules at the bottom where baristas can wear, among other changes.
The Workers Wing filed a complaint with the National Labor and Industrial Relations Commission alleging that Starbucks’ dress changes during the contract talks violated the law and showed that the company was not negotiating fairly.
The complaint copy shows that the dress code is “substantially different” from the tentative agreement reached between the two parties during negotiations. Starbucks said it will continue to bargain and ensure that the difference between negotiations and what the store implements is “legitimately and fairly”.
Baristas believe that dress codes will not improve operations or make their jobs easier, alliance representative Michelle Eisen said in a statement from the Workers Federation. Starbucks attempted to reverse the five-quarter decline in same-store sales.
“The change in this policy has put a burden on baristas, many of whom are already working hard to buy new clothes or risk offense,” Eisen said. The company said it will offer two Starbucks-branded shirts for free, but there is no guarantee they will arrive before May 12, with new dress codes coming into effect.
Starbucks said in a statement that “thousands of workers” appeared in the work of serving clients, adding that the biggest update to dress code is “simple: wear black shirts – whether you’re yourself or what we provide.”
“While workers United are less than 5% of our workforce, trying to cause damage in a few stores, we focus on providing the best jobs in retail and offer wages and benefits plans, with an average of $30 per hour for hourly partners,” Starbucks said in a statement. It called on unions to return to negotiations to “finalize the contract.”
About 500 baristas at US stores representing Starbucks union voted in late April to reject the company’s latest contract proposal on wage issues. Starbucks said at the time that the alliance gave deputies a “incomplete framework” to vote, “effectively undermining our collective progress.”
Over the past year, the two sides have been meeting to try to organize a template for collective bargaining agreements at locations organized by the Workers’ Wing since 2021.
– Assisted with Josh Eidelson.
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