Thursday saw the escalation of a strike initiated by Starbucks baristas, who are voicing their discontent with the corporation's recently implemented dress code.

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

Effective Monday, Starbucks instated revised dress code stipulations, circumscribing the sartorial choices permissible for baristas beneath their signature green aprons, mandating that employees at both company-operated and licensed establishments throughout the U.S. and Canada adhere to a uniform consisting of solid black tops and bottoms in khaki, black, or blue denim.

The prior dress code permitted baristas greater latitude in their attire, allowing for a wider spectrum of dark hues and patterned shirts; however, Starbucks contends that the revised guidelines will accentuate their signature green aprons and foster a more cohesive brand identity, ultimately cultivating a warmer and more inviting ambiance for patrons.

However, Starbucks Workers United, the union representing employees in over 570 of Starbucks' 10,000 company-operated US locations, has asserted that modifications to the dress code ought to be a subject for collective bargaining.

Paige Summers, a Starbucks shift supervisor from Hanover, Maryland, contends that the corporation has strayed from its core values, prioritizing inconsequential matters like a stringent new dress code over the insights of its baristas, who are instrumental in shaping the Starbucks experience, adding that patrons are unlikely to be concerned with staff attire when faced with protracted wait times for their orders.

Summers et al. also censured the company for merchandising discontinued Starbucks-branded apparel, previously permissible as work attire, on an internal platform. This followed Starbucks' announcement of a revised dress code, accompanied by the provision of two complimentary black T-shirts to each employee.

The Starbucks Workers Union announced Wednesday that approximately 1,000 employees had participated in coordinated walkouts across 75 U.S. locations, while Starbucks maintained that the industrial action had a negligible effect on its operations, with some stores experiencing closures of under an hour.

Starbucks asserted that the union's energy would be better directed toward renewed negotiations rather than symbolic workplace protests, highlighting that the vast majority of their stores remain operational and continue to serve customers.

Reader feedback from the Associated Press regarding the dress code revealed divergent perspectives, with some arguing that Starbucks baristas' grievances were unsubstantiated, given the prevalence of mandated attire in the retail sector, while others contended that Starbucks should prioritize beverage quality, pricing, and employee well-being over prescriptive dress codes.

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

Mucklow conceded that the revised dress code presented an initial challenge for store partners, but maintained it ultimately fostered a more unified and respectful environment, allowing for individual expression within a defined framework.

Since 2021, Starbucks Workers United has been spearheading unionization efforts across numerous U.S. Starbucks locations; however, despite a commitment to resume negotiations in February 2024, a definitive contract agreement between Starbucks and the union 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 the new dress code.