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Workers from at least one New Jersey Starbucks store are slated to go on strike Thursday as part of Red Cup Day, in what they’re calling a “Red Cup Rebellion.”
The one-day walkout will fall during Starbucks’ promotional event in which the chain hands out thousands of free, reusable 16-ounce cups for the holiday season. It is one of the coffee company's busiest days of the year.
The union said the walkout is over staffing and scheduling issues and a refusal by Starbucks executives to bargain with the union around promotional days.
“Promotion days like Red Cup Day, half-off ThursYays and Buy One Get One Free offers cause a flood of customers to stores without any additional staffing to cover the influx of orders," reads a statement from the union.
Where are the stores?
There is one so far that is walking out Thursday morning, according to the union website
Two others will take action in support of Starbucks workers.
According to the website, the walkout lasts from 8 to 9 a.m.
The union, Starbucks Workers United, represents over 9,000 Starbucks workers and more than 360 unionized stores, its website says.
Workers at five New Jersey Starbucks stores have voted to unionize: Ledgewood, Montclair, Summit, Hopewell and Hamilton.
Last year, workers at over 100 U.S. corporate-owned Starbucks locations walked off the job during Red Cup Day in protest of alleged illegal retaliation for forming a union, Reuters reported.
Starbucks' labor history
During an eight-month period, Starbucks lost 16 of 17 cases decided by National Labor Relations Board administrative law judges, Bloomberg Law said.
Earlier this month, Starbucks said it was increasing pay and benefits for most of its hourly workers, with one caveat: Unionized employees might not be eligible for some of those perks.
CNN reported that a National Labor Relations Board judge's ruling said a similar move violated federal law. The company is appealing that decision.
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What does the company say?
Starbucks said in a statement that it was aware of the walkout. The company wouldn’t confirm the actual date of Red Cup Day.
“We remain committed to working with all partners, side-by-side, to elevate the everyday, and we hope that Workers United’s priorities will shift to include the shared success of our partners and working to negotiate contracts for those they represent,” read a statement from Starbucks.