LANCASTER, Pa. — Lincoln Highway East Starbucks workers went on strike Thursday as part of the coast-to-coast "Red Cup Rebellion," demanding to bargain with the coffee giant.
The strike was held on Thursday, Nov. 16 on Red Cup Day, when the company hands out thousands of free reusable cups, marking one of the busiest days of the year.
As part of the strike, workers from across the nation demanded Starbucks turn off mobile ordering on future promotion days.
“We are appalled by the lack of respect this company shows us on nearly every level. Stores across the country are suffering from severe understaffing and it is clear that on our busiest days, like ‘Red Cup Day,’ that the understaffing is intentional," members of the Lancaster Starbucks Organizing Committee said in a statement. "This is unacceptable. Starbucks is so steadfast in trampling partners’ efforts to organize that they will trample us, the partners, to do it.”
Starbucks, on the other hand, says that union groups such as Workers United is refusing to schedule bargaining sessions, according to the Associated Press.
“We deserve to have enough people to deal with the expected business on those days that more customers are expected to be coming in," said John Elliott, a shift supervisor. "We, the partners, are the Starbucks experience and Starbucks needs to start investing in the Starbucks experience.”
At least 363 company-operated Starbucks stores in 41 states have voted to unionize since late 2021.
