On Christmas Eve, Starbucks union workers staged a massive strike across the United States. This included at least three store locations in Connecticut, demonstrating a unified demand for livable wages and adequate staffing.

The strike, dubbed an Unfair Labor Practices (ULP) strike, significantly impacted hundreds of Starbucks locations nationwide, particularly in Woodbridge, where union members organized a picket outside their store.

Nolan Wazni, a barista at Starbucks since February 2022, expressed frustrations over the company’s lack of adherence to negotiation promises made earlier this year. He stated, ‘They have not been bargaining with us fairly at the table. They actually offered us a 2% raise which is outrageous; that’s under the index of inflation, that’s a pay decrease for us.’

Besides wage increases, workers are also advocating for more staff on the floor to manage the high volumes of customers effectively. Fellow barista Nick Quiles shared his experience, remarking, ‘The amount of volume Starbucks gets with the amount of people we have working on our floor, they don’t go together. They don’t go hand in hand.’

The strike in Woodbridge was part of a broader movement that included union workers from the Starbucks at Corbins Corner in West Hartford, who managed to close their store for the day in solidarity. Supporter Ruth Larson from Wethersfield shared her sentiment about the importance of the strike: ‘It’s important to go out and support – to really put pressure on – to show the company that we’re still here, still mean business, and really want to see that happen.’

As the strike continues, union representatives are hopeful for a response from Starbucks and are determined to fight for their rights as workers.