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New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has voiced support for Starbucks workers and promised to stop buying from the coffee chain after more than a thousand unionized baristas launched a strike at several outlets in the United States. He also urged the public to join him.
Mamdani wrote, “Starbucks employees across the country are on strike over unfair labor practices and are fighting for a fair contract. While employees are on strike, I will not be buying any Starbucks and I am asking you to join us.”
He said: “Together, we can send a powerful message: no contracts, no coffee.”
Mamdani shared the message in response to a post from the “Starbucks Workers United” account on Instagram.
The union’s post reads: “As of today, Starbucks workers nationwide are officially on strike. And we are prepared for this to be the largest and longest ULP strike in Starbucks history. Say #NoContractNoCoffee with us: Do not buy Starbucks for the duration of our open-ended ULP strike!”
How did social media react?
Zohran Mamdani’s statement drew mixed reactions online. Some supported his stance, while others criticized the elected mayor.
One user wrote, “There are only a few stores that are unionized, about 650 out of 10,000. That’s only 6.5% of all stores. You’re doing it wrong.”
Another commented, “It’s easier for leaders to stage boycotts when they don’t believe in $15 an hour jobs. Meanwhile, strikes cause regular people to either get paid more or go without. These grand calls of ‘no coffee’ always hurt workers more than corporations.”
A third person said, “First of all who wants to pay $5-$7 for a cup of coffee?”
“I will never buy Starbucks again,” wrote a fourth.
What is the expected impact of the strike?
The strike was designed to disrupt Starbucks’ Red Cup Day, an annual event since 2018, when the chain gives customers a free reusable cup with the purchase of a holiday drink.
According to Starbucks Workers United, the walkout will affect 45 cities in the United States, including New York, Dallas, Seattle, Ohio, Minneapolis and Philadelphia. The strike is “open-ended”, with no fixed end date.
Why are the baristas protesting?
Workers participating in the strike say they are protesting because Starbucks has not reached a contract agreement with the union. They claim the company has failed to negotiate a fair deal, making it the largest unfair labor practice strike in the brand’s history.
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