BUFFALO, N.Y. — Starbucks workers nationwide and in Western New York have gone on strike multiple times, but this one is one of the largest yet.
They call it the "Red Cup Rebellion" because November 16 is Starbucks' national Red Cup Day. Starbucks gives away free red reusable holiday cups, causing long lines in stores.
The union representing Starbucks employees has previously filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board. The union stated in a press release that the company refuses "to bargain with baristas over staffing, scheduling, and other issues."
Starbucks sent a statement to 2 On Your Side. "We call on Workers United to respond to our invitations to bargain contracts for the stores they represent - Workers United hasn't agreed to meet to progress contract bargaining in more than five months."
The Red Cup Day walkout includes employees from Starbucks stores in Rochester and Buffalo. Workers from the Starbucks on Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo and Genesee Street in Cheektowaga are among those striking.
The picket line at 933 Elmwood Ave. runs from 10:00 am until 11:00 am and 255 Genesee St. Suite 100 from 11:00 am until 12:00 pm.
The Starbucks statement pointed out, "Our store schedules are created three weeks in advance with our partners’ availability and preferences at the forefront, and our stores are often provided additional labor hours to augment staffing in support of planned promotional days."
Those promotional days bring more customers to the stores. The union is calling on Starbucks to turn off mobile ordering on future promotion days, which it says Starbucks schedules with increasing frequency.
Starbucks responded to the request stating, "Mobile ordering is just one of the many ways customers can order Starbucks, and our retail leaders have the flexibility to staff and operate our stores in alignment with local partner and customer needs."
Local employees on strike will also visit their colleagues at other non-union stores to motivate them to organize. The union says it wants "to hold Starbucks, which just announced record fourth-quarter sales, accountable."