Ten Unionized NYC Starbucks Stores Return, Ending Nearly Three-Month Strike

Ten unionized Starbucks stores in New York City returned to work on Feb. 6, 2026, bringing to an end a nearly three-month local phase of the Red Cup Rebellion unfair labor practice strike that began on Nov. 13, 2025. The pause restores paychecks for those baristas but leaves the larger fight over a first union contract, staffing and scheduling unresolved.

The walkout was organized by Starbucks Workers United and framed as a response to what the union described as 18 months of stalled national framework bargaining and hundreds of alleged unfair labor practice charges. Union leaders said the strike was timed to Starbucks’ promotional Red Cup Day to maximize visibility. The movement traces back to the first successful Buffalo union vote in December 2021 and has grown into one of the largest recent retail organizing drives.

Union demands centered on higher pay, increased staffing and stable hours, and the resolution of hundreds of ULP charges that organizers say have blocked progress toward a first contract. Rey Shao told Labor Notes, “We need more take-home pay, we need better hours… Bring us new proposals that actually address these issues so we can finalize a contract.” KC Ihekwaba said on a solidarity call, “We baristas are still fighting for a fair contract, and this fight is active and ongoing. Our fire for change is still burning. Our spirits still strong.” Christi Gomoljak added, “We have definitely made it known that we deserve a fair contract and union busting has got to stop now.”

Starbucks defended its bargaining posture in a memo from Sara Kelly that said, “For months, we were at the bargaining table, working in good faith with Workers United and delegates from across the country to reach agreements that make sense for partners and for the long-term success of Starbucks.” Jaci Anderson, a company spokesperson, said Starbucks was “ready to talk when the union is ready to return to negotiations.”

The strike’s scale and duration varied in outside accounts. The Guardian cited about 1,000 baristas across nearly 50 stores; CNN referenced open-ended actions at roughly 150 stores; PBS and AP framed an earlier action as involving about 65 stores on a busy promotional day. Starbucks Workers United said it initially kicked off with over 1,000 baristas and later scaled back to a rotational model keeping several hundred to 1,000 workers striking at any given time to manage financial strain.

Legal developments have added pressure on the company. Reports describe a New York City Fair Workweek settlement tied to scheduling violations totaling roughly $35 million, with one outlet giving a breakdown of $35.5 million plus $3.4 million in civil penalties. The union says alleged harassment, firings and store closures remain barriers to fair bargaining.

For workers and restaurant-industry observers, the return-to-work in New York is a tactical pause rather than a resolution. Starbucks says it is willing to resume talks; the union insists core demands and hundreds of ULPs must be addressed before a contract is finalized. The next phase will hinge on whether national negotiations produce new proposals on pay, staffing and scheduling and whether organized stores finally win their first contracts.