Starbucks baristas are planning strikes through Christmas Eve in cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle, as part of an effort led by Starbucks Workers United for better pay. The union accuses Starbucks of backtracking on previous agreements regarding worker benefits. After recent bargaining sessions yielded no immediate pay increases, union members voted to authorize strikes. Starbucks proposed a mere 1.5% annual pay hike, while the union is demanding a 64% wage increase now and a 77% increase over three years. This labor action coincides with declining sales for Starbucks and ongoing strikes by Amazon workers amid the holiday rush.
