Starbucks Baristas Strike Over New Dress Code
2min read More than 2,000 Starbucks baristas across 120 U.S. stores have initiated a strike since Sunday, protesting the company's newly implemented dress code. The dress code mandates that employees at both company-operated and licensed stores in the U.S. and Canada wear a solid black shirt paired with khaki, black, or blue denim bottoms. This new policy replaces the previous dress code, which allowed for a broader range of dark colors and patterned shirts. Starbucks has stated that the new dress code aims to make the green aprons more prominent and create a sense of familiarity and warmth for customers.
The union representing Starbucks workers, Starbucks Workers United, has criticized the new dress code, asserting that it should be subject to collective bargaining. Paige Summers, a Starbucks shift supervisor from Hanover, Maryland, expressed frustration, stating, "Starbucks has lost its way. Instead of listening to baristas who make the Starbucks experience what it is, they are focused on all the wrong things, like implementing a restrictive new dress code." Summers and other baristas also criticized the company for selling Starbucks-branded clothing on an internal website that employees are no longer allowed to wear to work. Starbucks has offered two free black T-shirts to each employee as part of the new dress code.
The strike, which began with over 1,000 workers staging walkouts at 75 U.S. stores on Wednesday, has had a limited impact on Starbucks' operations, according to the company. Some stores were closed for less than an hour due to the strikes. Starbucks responded to the protests by stating, "It would be more productive if the union would put the same effort into coming back to the table that they’re putting into protesting wearing black shirts to work. More than 99% of our stores are open today serving customers — and have been all week."
The public's reaction to the dress code has been mixed. Some customers believe that the baristas have little to complain about, as many retailers have dress code requirements. Others suggest that Starbucks should focus on improving the quality and prices of its beverages and keeping workers happy rather than worrying about their attire. Maddie Mucklow, a manager at a Starbucks store in Seattle, supports the new rules, stating, "The dress code gives us a more consistent boundary for how to show up best for each other while still expressing our individuality."
Starbucks Workers United has been actively unionizing U.S. stores since 2021. Despite agreeing to return to the bargaining table in February 2024, Starbucks and the union have yet to reach a contract agreement. The union has filed a complaint alleging that Starbucks failed to bargain over the new dress code. This ongoing dispute highlights the broader tensions between the company and its workers, who are seeking greater input and representation in decisions that affect their working conditions.
