Hundreds of members of the Starbucks Workers United union, who have been on strike since Nov. 13 as part of the Red Cup Rebellion over what the union claims are unfair labor practices (ULP), took their protests directly to the coffee giant’s Seattle headquarters on Dec. 18.
Baristas from the region were joined by SEIU 1199NW, MLK Labor, Teamsters Joint Council 28, Seattle Indivisible, Students Against Starbucks and the Washington State Democratic Party, all showing their support for the ongoing labor action. A truck driven by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters was parked in solidarity behind the crowd, blaring its horn in support as baristas shared their stories of alleged union-busting and their personal struggles to make ends meet while working for Starbucks.
The strike began on Nov. 13, 2025, Starbucks’ Red Cup Day — the retailer’s traditional holiday kickoff date — and had expanded to 180 Starbucks stores by Dec. 11, 2025. By Dec. 18, additional unionized stores in 28 cities had joined the strike.
The Red Cup Rebellion has been gaining allies ranging from Hollywood’s SAG-AFTRA union and AFL-CIO members in Los Angeles, NAACP leaders in St. Louis and teachers in Arlington, Va. Additionally, more than 180 state and local elected officials, including Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown and nine Seattle and Washington State lawmakers, sent a letter to Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol on Dec. 17 supporting the union and urging the retailer to finalize a fair union contract.
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Starbucks spokesperson Jaci Anderson had provided emailed commentary from the company in early November, before the strike officially began, indicating Starbucks’ willingness to talk: “We are disappointed that Workers United, who only represents around 4% of our partners, has voted to authorize a strike instead of returning to the bargaining table. When they’re ready to come back, we’re ready to talk. Any agreement needs to reflect the reality that Starbucks already offers the best job in retail, including more than $30 an hour on average in pay and benefits for hourly partners. The facts show people like working at Starbucks.”
