According to Starbucks Workers United, over 2,000 Starbucks baristas at 120 stores in America are on strike. They are protesting a new dress code, starting this Sunday.

Starbucks has new rules about clothes for their workers from Monday. Now, workers in the USA and Canada must wear plain black shirts and khaki, black, or blue jeans.

Before, baristas could wear different dark or patterned shirts. Now, Starbucks says new rules will make the green aprons stand out. This will help customers feel more welcome and make the shops feel warmer.

But Starbucks Workers United, a group that represents workers in 570 Starbucks stores in America, says that the new dress code should be discussed between the company and the workers. Starbucks owns 10,000 stores in America.

ペイジ・サマーズさんは、スターバックスの店で働く人で、メリーランド州に住んでいます。彼女は「スターバックスは、大切なことを見失っていると思います。私たちは、スターバックスのいいところを作るバリスタ（コーヒーを作る人）の話を聞くべきなのに、新しいルール（例えば、厳しい服装のルール）にばかりこだわっています。でも、お客さんはコーヒーを待つ間、私たちの服の色なんて気にしません」と言いました。

Mr. Summers and others also said Starbucks was wrong to sell Starbucks clothes on their website. Workers can't wear these clothes at work anymore. Starbucks said they would give each worker two free black shirts when they announced the new dress rules.

On Wednesday, the Starbucks workers' union said that 1,000 workers at 75 stores in America stopped working. Starbucks said that the strike didn't affect many of their 10,000 American stores, and some stores closed for less than one hour.

Starbucks said that it would be better if the labor union used the effort they are using to protest black shirts during work hours to negotiate with them instead. They also said that more than 99% of their stores are open and serving customers this week.

People who read the AP news gave different opinions about the dress code. Some said it wasn't a big problem, like the Starbucks workers said. They said many shops ask workers to wear certain clothes. But others said Starbucks should focus on better drinks, lower prices, and happy workers, not just clothes.

マディ・マックロウさんは、シアトルのスターバックスのお店で働いています。彼女は、新しいルールに賛成だと言いました。

マックロウさんは言いました。「正直に言うと、私の店の仲間にとって、服装のルールを変えるのは大変でした。でも、このルールで、みんなが気持ちよく働けて、自分らしさも出せるようになると思います。」

Starbucks workers in America started a union in 2021. Starbucks and the union agreed to talk again in February 2024, but they still haven't made an agreement.

This week, the union said they complained to the National Labor Relations Board because Starbucks didn't talk about the new dress code.