#RedCupRebellion: New York Starbucks Workers Join Thousands in Largest-Ever National Strike

Starbucks workers from nine stores in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and Staten Island, as well as Nassau and Suffolk counties, struck alongside thousands of workers nationwide on November 15 and 16, in a coast-to-coast “Red Cup Rebellion,” demanding the coffee giant stop illegally refusing to bargain with baristas over staffing, scheduling and other issues. In our region, stores in Lynbrook and Staten Island kicked off the strike Wednesday, and were joined by stores in Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Farmingville and Westbury yesterday.

The walkout came on Red Cup Day, when the company hands out tens of thousands of free reusable cups, one of its busiest customer traffic days of the year. As part of the strike, workers demanded Starbucks turn off mobile ordering on future promotion days, which company executives are scheduling with increasing frequency. In conjunction with the strikes, union workers visited with their non-union counterparts at other stores, and students and community groups organized organizing rallies and other actions in support. Workers from unions across the City turned out in support, and among the strong shows of solidarity nationwide were Teamsters who refused to cross the picket lines to make deliveries.

Check out more photos and videos from striking partners across NYC by visiting Workers United NY/NJ on social, or nationally at Starbucks Workers United. #RedCupRebellion