The strike by Starbucks employees affiliated with the Starbucks Workers United (SWU) union expanded this Thursday to more coffee shops in the United States, one week after the action began. The employees are demanding better working conditions. The union reported that the number of striking establishments has risen from 65 to 95 nationwide, and the number of protesting employees has increased from 1,000 to 2,000, with no apparent progress in closing a collective bargaining agreement in negotiations stalled for months. "We simply want a higher net salary, better hours, stronger protections, and an end to union harassment," the union stated. The strike comes as the holiday season begins, and Starbucks is reporting record-breaking sales. The company's CEO, Brian Niccol, said in an internal message that sales are setting records at the start of the holiday season. The union points out that negotiations have been at a standstill for six months and that the company "refused to offer new proposals to address workers' demands for more staffing, higher wages, and resolving hundreds of charges of unfair labor practices." The SWU, formed in late 2021 and has gained momentum, represents 11,000 workers across 550 Starbucks locations in the U.S.
