"Merry Strikemas": Labor Action Hits 300 Starbuck Shops Nationwide

Thousands of baristas at unionized Starbucks locations are continuing a five-day strike, which has expanded to over 300 stores as of Christmas Eve, according to the employees' union.

Starbucks Workers United said over 5,000 baristas in cities including New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, and Portland are hitting the streets today to protest the company backtracking on a promised labor contract deal. 

The labor action began last Friday at a dozen or more locations in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Seattle and has since rapidly expanded. As of Monday, 60 stores were shuttered. 

"Over the course of the weekend and today, a very small number of stores were temporarily closed – approximately 60 in total as of today – because of the actions called for by Workers United," Starbucks wrote in a press release on Monday. 

The good news for Starbucks customers is that the number of stores impacted by the labor action is tiny.

Starbucks Locations 

"The overwhelming majority of Starbucks stores across the country have opened as planned and are busy with customers enjoying the holidays," the coffee chain said, adding, "We have over 10,000 company-operated stores across the U.S. that provide work for partners and serve our customers." 

Most of the striking baristas are young GenZers who should understand the push for more unionization and labor contracts will only force CEO Brian Niccol to automate more of the process as the coffee chain undergoes a turnaround strategy.

'Tis the season to strike—apparently. Amazon workers are also striking.

The bad news is that many of these low-skilled jobs will likely be automated (read "AI Will Lead To 300 Million Layoffs In The US And Europe"): in the next decade.