Starbucks Baristas Protest New Dress Code Policy Amid Broader Union Disputes

A recent change to Starbucks’ employee dress code has sparked a strike involving more than 1,000 baristas at approximately 75 stores across the United States, according to the union representing the company’s workers, CBS News reports.

The protest, organized by Starbucks Workers United, comes in response to a dress code update that went into effect earlier this week.

The revised policy requires employees at company-operated and licensed stores in the US and Canada to wear solid black shirts paired with khaki, black, or blue denim bottoms beneath their signature green apron. The previous guidelines allowed for a wider variety of dark-colored and patterned shirts, offering more flexibility in attire.

Starbucks stated that the change is part of its broader “Back to Starbucks” initiative aimed at revitalizing the in-store experience and reconnecting with the company’s brand identity. The coffee chain believes the new uniform standard enhances the visibility of its iconic green apron and contributes to a more welcoming environment for customers.

However, Starbucks Workers United argues that the new dress code should have been subject to collective bargaining, as it affects union-represented employees. “Starbucks has lost its way,” said Paige Summers, a shift supervisor in Hanover, Maryland.

“Instead of listening to baristas who make the Starbucks experience what it is, they are focused on all the wrong things, like implementing a restrictive new dress code.”

Some workers also voiced frustration that Starbucks continues to sell now-prohibited branded apparel on its internal website, while offering employees two free black T-shirts as part of the policy change.

Despite the protests, Starbucks says the strike has had minimal impact on its operations.

“By their own measure, less than 1% of stores have participated in their attempts to cause disruption,” a spokesperson said, noting that more than 99% of company-owned US stores remain open and operational.

In many instances, stores affected by walkouts resumed normal service within an hour.

The protest reflects broader labor tensions between Starbucks and its workers. Starbucks Workers United has been organizing US stores since 2021 and now represents employees at over 570 locations. While the company and the union agreed earlier this year to return to the bargaining table, no collective contract has been finalized.

The union also filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging that Starbucks failed to negotiate the new dress code with unionized workers. Starbucks maintains that constructive progress would be better achieved at the bargaining table rather than through public demonstrations.