Starbucks baristas continued their strike on Thursday, disagreeing with the company's new rules about what they can wear.

Starbucks Workers United, a union for the company's U.S. staff, reports that over 2,000 baristas in 120 American stores have been striking since Sunday, disagreeing with the latest rules about what they can wear.

From Monday, Starbucks is introducing new rules about what its baristas can wear under their green aprons. The updated dress code requires staff in company-operated and licensed stores in the US and Canada to wear plain black shirts and trousers or jeans in khaki, black, or blue denim.

Previously, baristas could wear more dark colours and patterned shirts. Starbucks stated the updated rules will highlight their green aprons and give customers a familiar feeling, as they aim to make their stores feel more welcoming.

However, Starbucks Workers United, the union for employees at 570 of Starbucks' 10,000 American stores, believes the dress code should be negotiated together.

Paige Summers, a Starbucks supervisor in Hanover, Maryland, believes Starbucks has lost sight of its priorities. She argues the company should listen to its baristas, who are key to the customer experience, instead of focusing on issues like the strict new dress code. Summers adds that customers are more concerned about long wait times for their orders than the colour of employees' clothes.

Summers and others also criticised the company for selling Starbucks-branded clothes, which employees were no longer allowed to wear at work, on an internal website. Starbucks stated they would give each employee two free black T-shirts when the new dress code was announced.

On Wednesday, the Starbucks Workers Union announced that 1,000 employees had participated in walkouts across 75 stores in the US. Starbucks responded that the industrial action had a minimal effect on its 10,000 company-run stores in the US, adding that some stores were closed for under an hour because of the strikes.

"Starbucks stated that it would be better if the union focused on returning to negotiations, rather than protesting by wearing black shirts. They added that over 99% of their stores are currently open and serving customers, as they have been throughout the week."

Readers of the Associated Press expressed different opinions on the dress code, with some arguing that Starbucks' baristas shouldn't complain, as many shops have similar rules. Others felt Starbucks should prioritize better drinks, prices, and employee satisfaction over strict dress codes.

Maddie Mucklow, a Starbucks manager in Seattle, has expressed her support for the recently introduced regulations.

Mucklow admitted that the new dress code presented a challenge for staff initially. However, she believes it provides a clearer framework for professional presentation, allowing for individual expression within agreed limits.

Since 2021, Starbucks employees, organised as Starbucks Workers United, have been forming unions in stores across the U.S. Despite agreeing to negotiate again in February 2024, Starbucks and the union haven't yet reached a final agreement.

This week, the union announced that it had made a formal complaint to the National Labor Relations Board, claiming Starbucks had not negotiated the new dress code properly.