Starbucks workers begin strike on Red Cup Day...

Nov. 13 (UPI) -- Thousands of Starbucks workers in about 40 cities began striking Thursday on the company's biggest day of the year. "We're turning the Red Cup Season into the Red Cup Rebellion. Starbucks' refusal to settle a fair union contract and end union busting is forcing us to take drastic action," Amos Hall, a barista at a store in Pittsburgh told ABC News in a statement. Red Cup Day is when customers can get a free holiday-themed reusable cup with the purchase of a holiday-themed beverage. It's Starbucks' biggest day of sales of the year. The union representing the workers, Starbucks Workers United, began the open-ended strike of about 1,000 baristas in 65 stores. It voted to authorize the strike because Starbucks failed to make new proposals on staffing levels and pay after the union rejected an offer in April. The union also wants the company to stop alleged illegal labor practices, including retaliation against union members, ABC News reported. "If Starbucks keeps stonewalling a fair contract and refusing to end union-busting, they'll see their business grind to a halt," Starbucks Workers United spokesperson Michelle Eisen said in a statement to CNBC. "No contract, no coffee is more than a tagline -- it's a pledge to interrupt Starbucks operations and profits until a fair union contract and an end to unfair labor practices are won. Starbucks knows where we stand." The union says it represents more than 12,000 workers in more than 550 stores. The company last week told news organizations that the union only represents 9,500 workers at 550 cafes. Starbucks said that despite the strike it's ready to serve its customers. "Starbucks offers the best job in retail, including more than $30 an hour on average in pay and benefits for hourly partners. Workers United, which represents only 4% of our partners, chose to walk away from the bargaining table. We've asked them to return -- many times. If they're ready to come back, we're ready to talk. We believe we can move quickly to a reasonable deal," Starbucks spokesperson Jaci Anderson told CNBC in a statement. Employees at 113 unionized locations went on strike during Starbucks's 2022 Red Cup Day. Sara Kelly, chief partner officer at Starbucks, wrote a letter last week addressing the vote to strike. She said she believed the two sides could come to an agreement. "For months, we were at the bargaining table, working in good faith with Workers United and delegates from across the country to reach agreements that make sense for partners and for the long-term success of Starbucks," Kelly said. "We reached more than 30 tentative agreements on full contract articles." "Our commitment to bargaining hasn't changed," she said. "Workers United walked away from the table but if they are ready to come back, we're ready to talk. We believe we can move quickly to a reasonable deal."