The AFL-CIO has expressed support for Starbucks Workers United (SBWU) as employees across the country begin strikes at Starbucks corporate stores on Red Cup Day. AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler released a statement highlighting the union’s backing of SBWU members, who have been seeking improvements in pay, scheduling, and staffing for over four years.
Shuler stated, “The AFL-CIO, representing nearly 15 million working people, is proud to stand in solidarity with Starbucks workers starting strikes today at Starbucks corporate stores across the nation. For four long years, SBWU members have fought tirelessly for better pay, fair hours, and adequate staffing for more than 12,000 workers and counting. Yet Starbucks has dug its heels in, engaging in shameless and persistent union-busting. Today’s strike aims to hold the corporation accountable and demand the resolution of the unfair labor practices that have made it impossible to reach a fair contract.”
She criticized CEO Brian Niccol’s compensation compared to typical worker wages: “While Starbucks workers struggle to make ends meet, CEO Brian Niccol’s sky-high compensation gave Starbucks the worst CEO-to-worker pay ratio of any S&P 500 company last year. He made 6,666 times the workers’ median pay in 2024—nearly $98 million in annualized total compensation—compared to a typical Starbucks barista who made less than $15,000. It is outrageous that Niccol and other corporate executives continue to pad their already overflowing pockets at workers’ expense while denying them their fundamental rights on the job.”
Shuler called on Starbucks leadership to negotiate with employees: “America’s unions stand shoulder to shoulder with Starbucks workers today. We urge Niccol and Starbucks corporate executives to finally do right by the workers who drive the company’s profit and negotiate a long-overdue fair contract.”
