New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has called for a boycott of Starbucks after more than a thousand labourers went on strike across the country.
The workers, organised by Starbucks Workers United, are demanding better pay, improved staffing, and resolution of hundreds of unfair labour practice complaints.
Mamdani, in response to Starbucks Workers United's tweet, has asked the public to avoid drinking coffee at Starbucks and urged others to join him in the boycott.
"Starbucks workers across the country are on an Unfair Labor Practices strike, fighting for a fair contract. While workers are on strike, I won't be buying any Starbucks, and I'm asking you to join us," he wrote on social media platform X.
"Together, we can send a powerful message: No contract, no coffee," he added.
The union on X has announced that Starbucks workers nationwide have gone on strike. They described the walkout as an Unfair Labour Practices (ULP) strike and warned it could become the largest and longest in the company's history.
"As of today, Starbucks workers across the country are officially ON STRIKE. And we're prepared for this to become the biggest and longest ULP strike in Starbucks history," they wrote, adding, "Say No Contract No Coffee with us: DON'T BUY STARBUCKS for the duration of our open-ended ULP strike!"
Workers have called it an open-ended strike and will continue the walkout until their demands are met. They have dubbed the strike "Red Cup Rebellion."
The strike coincided with Starbucks' annual Red Cup Day, one of the company's busiest events when stores typically see long lines as customers pick up free reusable holiday cups.
The union has said that Starbucks has broken labour laws more than almost any other company in recent times. They noted that Administrative Law Judges at the National Labor Relations Board had found the company committed over 400 labour law violations.
The strike has drawn workers from more than 25 cities, including New York, Dallas, Seattle, Ohio, Minneapolis, and Philadelphia.
