Originally published in the Summer/Fall 2025 edition of the Virginia Defender, issue 77, printed December 11. Reproduced here for accessibility and archival purposes. To find other stories in the Summer/Fall 2025 issue or to download the full PDF, see this post. For other issues dating back to 2012, see the Full Issues page.

By Christopher Walker

For the second holiday season in a row, Starbucks workers are back on strike – this time, indefinitely.

On Nov. 13, outside the Richmond Starbucks at West Broad and Strawberry streets, a large crowd of Starbucks workers and their supporters filled the entrance and adjacent sidewalk. Between loud chants that included “No contract, no coffee!” and “What’s disgusting? Union busting!” baristas explained why they had chosen to begin their strike: low wages, understaffing and Starbucks’ refusal to negotiate with their union.

In 2021, Starbucks workers in Buffalo, N.Y., voted to form a union. Starbucks workers around the country followed suit, voting to unionize and form Starbucks Workers United (SBWU) – including nine stores in the Richmond area.

Under federal law, Starbucks is now required to “collectively bargain”- negotiate a contract with the workers who won the vote to unionize. Thus far, though, Starbucks has refused todo so.

Last year, Starbucks’ unwillingness to take the workers’ union seriously, among a litany of other grievances from workers, prompted SBWU to undertake a national, one-day Unfair Labor Practices strike on Christmas Eve. A handful of unionized stores in the Richmond area participated in this strike, drawing notable community support.

2025 marked another year of Starbucks failing to come to a collective bargaining agreement with its workers. The company added insult to injury with its hiring of new CEO Brian Niccol, whose “Back to Starbucks” campaign has included layoffs, store
closures and additional rules on the job for baristas, but no union contract.

This winter, unionized Starbucks workers voted to embark on another Unfair Labor Practices strike. This strike does not have a designated end date. The workers hope that going on strike indefinitely during the critical holiday sales period will put significant economic pressure on Starbucks and bring it to the bargaining table.

The strike has garnered significant international attention, and local unions and political organizations including SEIU, Richmond DSA and PSL all attended the opening picket line and rally at the Broad and Strawberry St. location in central Richmond.

A strike captain reported they were pleased with the turnout and support at the rally, as workers will be counting on the support of those willing and able to attend rallies and contribute to their strike fund during the extended work stoppage.

Workers certainly have a long and difficult struggle ahead of them, as Starbucks has invested its millions – and likely will continue to do so – into attempts to prevent workers from collectively organizing for better pay and working conditions.

Against this backdrop, one worker’s testimony stood out: They said that, in a particularly dark time in their life, their co-workers and SBWU had given them hope that they could win wages and benefits that could provide for a healthy and financially secure life.

Starbucks workers have identified that their individual needs can be met by fighting together, and this strike marks another courageous step in their ongoing struggle with their employer.