The protest began on Thursday, coinciding with Red Cup Day, which is traditionally one of the most profitable days for the chain. The union announced an indefinite strike on this day, highlighting the seriousness of the situation.
The main demands of the strikers include improving working conditions, increasing wages, and addressing numerous complaints regarding unfair labor practices that have been raised against the company.
The parties to the conflict mutually accuse each other of failing to reach an agreement. According to the union, more than a thousand baristas from 65 coffee shops have joined the strike.
Starbucks workers have expressed their readiness to expand the protest, threatening to make it the longest in the company's history if a fair collective agreement is not reached and issues regarding allegations of unfair practices are not resolved.
Founded in 1971 in Seattle, Starbucks operates a network of nearly 41,000 coffee shops worldwide.
