USA 
United Kingdom
More than 1,000 baristas across 75 Starbucks locations in the US have staged walkouts this week in protest over a revised dress code introduced without union consultation.
The strike action, which began Sunday, follows the coffee chain’s updated uniform policy requiring all staff in company-owned and licensed stores to wear solid black tops and khaki, black or blue denim trousers beneath their green aprons. The new guidelines took effect on Monday in both the US and Canada.
Previously, employees were allowed to wear dark shades and patterned shirts. Starbucks said the shift aims to enhance brand visibility and foster a more consistent in-store environment. Yet the decision has drawn backlash from unionised employees who argue the move was imposed without negotiation.
Union criticises lack of consultation
Starbucks Workers United, which represents staff at 570 of the company’s 10,000 U.S. stores, criticised the rollout and said the dress policy should be subject to collective bargaining.
“Starbucks has lost its way,” said Paige Summers, a shift supervisor from Hanover, Maryland. “Customers don’t care what color our clothes are when they’re waiting 30 minutes for a latte.”
Summers and other workers expressed further frustration that Starbucks continues to sell employee-branded merchandise no longer approved under the new policy. Although Starbucks is providing two black T-shirts to each staff member, employees said the broader shift was symptomatic of the company’s top-down approach to workplace rules.
In response, Starbucks played down the strike’s impact. A spokesperson said less than 1% of the workforce had participated, adding that most stores remained open with minimal disruption. “It would be more productive if the union put the same effort into returning to negotiations as they do into protesting black shirts,” the company said.
Labour board complaint escalates tensions
The union confirmed this week that it had filed a formal complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging Starbucks failed to negotiate the dress code change as required under US labor law.
Although Starbucks Workers United and the company agreed in February 2024 to return to the bargaining table, no collective agreement has yet been reached.
The latest dispute highlights ongoing tensions around unilateral policy changes and raises concerns among HR leaders about compliance, employee engagement and brand alignment in unionised environments.
