Washington DC - More than 80 members of Congress are urging Starbucks to negotiate a fair contract deal with union baristas.

"We are writing to express concern regarding Starbucks’ failure to reach a fair first contract with its baristas," reads the Labor Caucus letter signed by 88 House Democrats and addressed to Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol.

"Disturbingly, we have heard that the company has returned to union busting, which has impeded the ability of Starbucks workers – many of whom are our constituents – to exercise their statutory and constitutional right to organize."

Starbucks' previous CEO Laxman Narasimhan vowed to bargain with unionized workers and reach contract agreements by the end of last year, but negotiations have stalled under Niccol, who took over in September 2024.

In April, elected union delegates overwhelmingly rejected a proposal which they said failed to improve wages or benefits in the first year of the contract or to address concerns around chronic understaffing.

The company announced in September it would close hundreds of stores and lay off nearly 1,000 employees as part of a $1-billion restructuring plan.

"As you well know Starbucks is not a poor company," the US lawmakers wrote. "Last year Starbucks made over $3.6 billion in profit and paid out nearly $5 billion in stock buybacks and dividends. [...] Last year, you made $95 million in compensation for the four months you worked in 2024, roughly 6,666 times more than what your average worker was paid for the entire year."

"Despite that extravagant spending on executives and shareholders, Starbucks still has yet to reach an agreement with its own workers."

Starbucks Workers United members last week overwhelmingly voted to authorize an open-ended strike starting on November 13. The date coincide's with Red Cup Day, the coffee chain's biggest sales promotion of the year in which it hands out reusable cups with certain purchases.

Red Cup Rallies are planned in 16 cities, including Seattle, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, and more.

Baristas at Disneyland's Downtown Disney store kicked off the nationwide strike over the weekend. The Anaheim location remained closed Monday after workers walked off the job Saturday night.

Starbucks Workers United is asking supporters not to make any purchases from the coffee company in solidarity with their strike action.