According to Starbucks Workers United, over 2,000 Starbucks baristas at 120 locations across the United States initiated a strike on Sunday, protesting the implementation of a revised dress code policy.

Effective Monday, Starbucks implemented stricter dress code guidelines for attire worn beneath the green apron, mandating that employees at company-operated and licensed stores throughout the US and Canada adhere to a uniform of solid black shirts and khaki, black, or blue denim bottoms.

The previous dress code permitted baristas to wear a wider array of dark colors and patterned shirts; however, Starbucks states that the updated regulations, designed to make the signature green apron stand out and foster a warmer, more approachable atmosphere within its establishments, will ultimately enhance customer rapport.

However, Starbucks Workers United, the union representing employees at 570 of Starbucks' 10,000 company-owned US stores, contends that this dress code should be subject to collective bargaining.

Paige Summers, a Starbucks shift supervisor from Hanover, Maryland, contends that Starbucks has lost its way, fixating on misguided initiatives like enforcing a restrictive new dress code, rather than listening to the baristas who cultivate the Starbucks experience. She added, "Customers are hardly concerned with the color of our attire when waiting half an hour for a latte."

Summers et al. also criticized the company for selling Starbucks-branded apparel, which employees are no longer permitted to wear while on duty, on its internal website; Starbucks stated it would provide each employee with two complimentary black T-shirts upon the announcement of the new dress code.

On Wednesday, the Starbucks Workers Union announced that a total of 1,000 employees had staged walkouts at 75 stores across the United States; Starbucks responded that the impact of the strikes remained limited to a fraction of its 10,000 American locations, adding that some stores experienced closures lasting less than an hour.

Starbucks stated that it would be far more productive if the labour union invested the same effort it was pouring into protesting the black shirt policy during work hours into returning to the negotiating table, adding that over 99% of their stores remain operational and are serving customers throughout the week.

An Associated Press survey of reader opinions revealed a mixed reception to the dress code controversy; some argued that the issue was insignificant, particularly when compared to the practices of numerous retailers who mandate specific attire, while others contended that Starbucks should prioritize improvements in beverage quality, pricing strategies, and employee satisfaction over employee dress.

Maddie McClow, who oversees Starbucks locations in Seattle, voiced her support for the newly implemented regulations.

McCullough conceded that the dress code had been a difficult transition for his store partners, but maintained that it would foster more consistent standards, enabling them to best serve one another while still expressing individual identity.

Starbucks Workers United has been engaged in unionizing efforts at American stores since 2021; despite agreeing to resume negotiations in February 2024, Starbucks and the union have yet to reach a contractual agreement.

This week, the union stated that it has filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging that Starbucks failed to negotiate the new dress code.