Thursday saw the escalation of a strike among Starbucks baristas, who are contesting the company's recently implemented dress code.

Starbucks Workers United, a union representing the coffee chain's U.S. workforce, reports that upwards of 2,000 baristas across 120 U.S. locations have initiated strike action since Sunday, citing grievances over the newly implemented dress code.

Effective Monday, Starbucks instituted stricter guidelines concerning attire permissible beneath baristas' signature green aprons, mandating that employees in company-operated and licensed establishments across the U.S. and Canada adhere to a dress code of solid black shirts paired with khaki, black, or blue denim bottoms.

The prior dress code permitted baristas greater latitude in dark color palettes and patterned tops; however, Starbucks anticipates the revised guidelines will accentuate its signature green aprons and cultivate a cohesive brand identity, fostering a more inviting and hospitable atmosphere within its establishments.

However, Starbucks Workers United, the union representing employees at 570 of Starbucks' 10,000 company-operated stores in the U.S., contended that alterations to the dress code ought to be negotiated through collective bargaining.

Paige Summers, a Starbucks shift supervisor from Hanover, Maryland, contends that the corporation has lost sight of its core values, prioritizing inconsequential matters such as a draconian new dress code over the concerns of the baristas who are integral to the Starbucks experience; she posits that customers are unlikely to be concerned with employee attire when faced with protracted wait times for their beverages.

Summers and others also censured the corporation for marketing Starbucks-branded apparel, styles of which employees were subsequently prohibited from wearing to work, via an internal website; this occurred despite Starbucks' pledge to furnish each employee with two complimentary black T-shirts upon the announcement of the revised dress code.

The Starbucks Workers Union announced Wednesday that walkouts, involving approximately 1,000 employees, had taken place across 75 stores nationwide; while Starbucks acknowledged the disruptions, they maintained that the impact on their 10,000 company-operated locations was minimal, noting instances where stores were closed for only brief periods.

Starbucks asserted in a statement that the union's energy would be better directed towards resuming negotiations rather than staging protests such as wearing black shirts to work, further noting that over 99% of their stores remain open and operational, serving customers consistently throughout the week.

Reader responses to the Associated Press article regarding Starbucks' dress code were polarized, with some arguing that baristas' grievances were unsubstantiated, given the prevalence of mandatory uniforms in the retail sector, while others contended that Starbucks should prioritize beverage quality and affordability, alongside employee satisfaction, over sartorial regulations.

Maddie Mucklow, a Starbucks store manager in Seattle, voiced her support for the newly implemented regulations.

Mucklow conceded that the updated dress code presented initial challenges for staff, but asserted it ultimately fosters a more cohesive and mutually respectful environment, whilst still allowing for personal expression.

Since 2021, Starbucks Workers United has been spearheading unionisation efforts across U.S. Starbucks stores, yet despite a commitment to resume negotiations in February 2024, a ratified contract agreement remains elusive.

This week, the union announced it had lodged a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, asserting Starbucks' refusal to negotiate the implementation of its revised dress code.