A Starbucks barista strike, protesting the company's new dress code, expanded on Thursday.

Over 2,000 Starbucks baristas in 120 US stores have been on strike since Sunday, protesting the new dress code, according to Starbucks Workers United, a union representing the coffee giant's American employees.

From Monday, Starbucks has introduced new restrictions on what staff can wear under their green aprons. The dress code now requires employees at company-owned and licensed stores in the US and Canada to wear plain black shirts and trousers in khaki, black, or blue denim.

Antes, el código de vestimenta permitía a los baristas usar más colores oscuros y camisas estampadas. Starbucks argumentó que las nuevas normas harían resaltar sus delantales verdes y darían una imagen más uniforme a los clientes, buscando así un ambiente más cálido en sus establecimientos.

However, Starbucks Workers United, the union representing workers in 570 out of 10,000 Starbucks-owned stores in the US, argued that the dress code should be subject to collective bargaining.

Paige Summers, a Starbucks shift supervisor in Hanover, Maryland, stated that Starbucks has lost its way. She believes the company is focusing on the wrong things, like a new, strict dress code, instead of listening to the baristas who create the Starbucks experience. She added that customers aren't concerned about employee clothing color when they are waiting 30 minutes for a latte.

Summers, among others, criticized Starbucks for selling branded clothing online that employees are no longer allowed to wear at work. Following the new dress code announcement, Starbucks stated they would provide each employee with two free black t-shirts.

On Wednesday, the Starbucks Workers Union announced that 1,000 employees had walked out in 75 US stores. Starbucks stated the strike had a limited effect on its 10,000 US stores, with some closures lasting less than an hour, according to the company.

"Starbucks comunicó que sería más útil si el sindicato se esforzara por negociar en lugar de protestar por el uso de camisetas negras." La empresa añadió: "Más del 99% de nuestras tiendas siguen abiertas y atendiendo a clientes, como ha sido durante toda la semana."

Readers of the Associated Press who shared their views expressed varied opinions on the dress code. Some argued that Starbucks baristas didn't have much to complain about, as many retailers require specific attire for their employees. Others felt Starbucks should prioritize improving the quality and price of their drinks, and focus on keeping employees happy, rather than dictating their clothing choices.

Maddie Mucklow, a Starbucks store manager in Seattle, expressed her support for the new regulations.

"Para ser sincera, el nuevo código de vestimenta supuso un reto al principio para mis compañeros," explicó Mucklow. "Sin embargo, ahora nos ofrece unas pautas más claras sobre cómo proyectar una imagen profesional y apoyarnos entre nosotros, sin renunciar a la expresión individual."

Since 2021, Starbucks Workers United has been organizing unions in Starbucks stores across the US. Despite agreeing to resume negotiations in February 2024, Starbucks and the union have yet to reach a contract agreement.

This week, the union announced that they had filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, claiming that Starbucks was refusing to negotiate the new dress code.