Starbucks workers and Socialist Party USA call for boycott

Starbucks workers represented by Workers United-SEIU are calling for an open-ended consumer boycott of the coffee chain due to a prolonged failure to finalize a first collective bargaining agreement. The union, which represents more than 11,000 baristas across over 700 U.S. locations, is demanding a $17 minimum wage, improved staffing levels, better hours, and just-cause termination protections.

In support of the movement, the Socialist Party USA has officially endorsed the boycott. The party cited Starbucks as a major violator of U.S. labor law and encouraged its members to refrain from purchasing products until a fair contract is reached.

Since the first corporate-owned Starbucks unionized in Buffalo, New York, in 2021, the company has faced hundreds of complaints filed with the National Labor Relations Board. These allegations include unlawful retaliation against pro-union employees, withholding raises and benefits from unionized staff, and failing to bargain in good faith.