More than 1,000 Starbucks baristas across 75 stores in the U.S. have gone on strike since Sunday in protest of a newly implemented dress code, according to the union representing many of the company’s workers.
The updated dress code, which took effect on Monday, restricts what baristas can wear under their signature green aprons. Employees at both company-operated and licensed Starbucks locations in the U.S. and Canada are now required to wear solid black shirts and pants in black, khaki, or blue denim. Previously, the policy allowed more flexibility, including a broader selection of dark colors and patterned tops.
Starbucks says the change is meant to help the green apron stand out and to foster a more familiar and welcoming atmosphere for customers. However, Starbucks Workers United, which represents employees at around 570 of the company’s 10,000 corporate-owned stores, argues the new rules should have been negotiated through collective bargaining.
“Starbucks is focusing on the wrong priorities,” said Paige Summers, a shift supervisor from Hanover, Maryland. “Instead of listening to baristas—the people who create the Starbucks experience—they’re imposing unnecessary restrictions. Customers are more concerned with long wait times than the color of our shirts.”
Critics also point out the irony of Starbucks continuing to sell employee-branded apparel through internal channels, including items that no longer comply with the dress code. While the company has offered two free black T-shirts to each worker, many feel the rollout was tone-deaf.
Starbucks responded by downplaying the impact of the strikes, stating that less than 1% of its U.S. workforce is participating. Some store closures lasted under an hour, and over 99% of locations remained open throughout the week.
“It would be more constructive if the union put the same energy into bargaining as it does into protesting black shirts,” the company said in a statement.
Since 2021, Starbucks Workers United has been actively organizing stores. Although both sides agreed to resume contract talks in February 2024, a final agreement has yet to be reached. This week, the union filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing Starbucks of implementing the dress code without negotiating it first.
