In the United States, on November 13, 2025, more than 1,000 unionized Starbucks workers initiated a strike at 65 locations to protest against the lack of progress in contract negotiations with the coffee chain. This strike coincided with Starbucks' popular Red Cup Day, a day known for significant sales that marks the beginning of the holiday season where customers receive free reusable cups with holiday drink purchases. Workers are advocating for better pay, improved working conditions, and regular hours to qualify for company benefits, which many employees currently struggle to obtain due to insufficient scheduling. The strike reflects ongoing frustrations among workers concerning a stalled contract, which has seen little advancement since negotiations began. Starbucks had previously promised to reach an agreement by the end of 2024, but leaders within the workers' union assert that management has engaged in stonewalling tactics. The striking workers say they believe they are not receiving adequate proposals to finalize the agreement and claim that the company has not addressed unfair labor practices, including retaliatory firings linked to unionization efforts. Starbucks has faced strong opposition from union organizers since the first store voted to unionize in 2021. Although the company has closed 59 unionized stores as part of a reorganization initiative, the union is pushing back, demanding fair treatment and a dialogue that leads to a valid contract they deem necessary for their livelihoods. The company maintains that they provide competitive wages and benefits, highlighting that they offer an average of $30 an hour. The Red Cup Day strike is part of a broader trend, as Starbucks employees previously held similar walkouts in 2022 and 2023, further emphasizing their collective bargaining demands. The workers' strike is open-ended, indicating that if negotiations do not improve, the action could expand to additional locations, thus potentially impacting customer experiences and Starbucks’ revenue during a critical period of increased holiday sales.