Starbucks Union Plans Strike for Major Company Event

America's largest coffee chain is set to debut this year's edition of a fan-favorite promotion, but many workers within the company are planning to have their voices heard in a way that could disrupt production.

Starbucks Workers United announced on Wednesday that its members have voted to authorize a strike as they push for better pay and more flexible working hours. In order to make their voices heard more effectively, the union sys that it plans to protest during one of the most important days of the year.

SWU says that it plans to strike on November 13 - Starbucks' highly-anticipated "Red Cup Day." The strike would start at shops in 25 cities, and additional stores would join in if progress isn't made on a new labor deal.

"The ball is in Starbucks' court," said union spokesperson and barista Michelle Eisen.

What is Red Cup Day at Starbucks?

Starbucks, which introduced the Red Cup Day tradition in 2018, has had holiday cups and promotions since the late 1990s. This year's menu will include several holiday items.

The company has promoted peppermint mocha, caramel brulée latte, iced sugar cookie latte and iced gingerbread chai, in addition to chestnut praline lattes and eggnog lattes later in the season.

The bakery will bring the beloved snowman cookie, as well as the cranberry bliss bar and sugar plum cheese danish. New items this season include the polar bear cake pop and cinnamon pull-apart bread.

The Union's Newest Attempts to Negotiate

If SWU strikes, it will be the third work stoppage the union has brought on in the last year. In May, they protested over a new dress code at the chain, and thousands of workers walked off the job last December to protest their wages.

Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol told CBS News that the union's demands have been "unreasonable."

"We already give them the best job in retail. We have the lowest turnover in the industry — it's below 50%," Niccol said. "We also have the best benefits in the industry, and we actually have the best wages in the industry."

We'll see if the protest takes place, and if it affects one of Starbucks' most prominent and popular promotions during the 2025 holiday season.