Starbucks workers and unions in 10 countries to protest in support of US baristas

Starbucks workers and union members in England, Scotland and eight other countries are set to protest on Wednesday in support of striking US employees, the company’s US union told the BBC.

Starbucks Workers United last month launched a strike, which the union said has expanded to 3,000 baristas in more than 100 US cities. Workers are pushing for better pay and staffing, and for the coffee chain to resolve hundreds of unfair labour practice claims.

Starbucks has said the strike affects a fraction of its thousands of shops, and service continues as usual at the majority of branches.

The international action will involve hundreds of workers and union supporters, Starbucks Workers United said.

The BBC has contacted Starbucks for comment on the action.

The coordinated global action is unlikely to directly affect the company financially. It comes as the US union tries to ramp up pressure on the chain after negotiations stalled.

In the UK, rallies organised by the union Unite are set to take place in London, Norwich and Glasgow, the union said. Workers in Glasgow will join a work stoppage.

Coordinated demonstrations are also planned at Starbucks stores and offices in cities across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland and Turkey. Also on Wednesday, baristas are gearing up to protest at the largest Starbucks in the world, in Chicago.

“Starbucks executives need to know: wherever Starbucks is, our picket lines will be there too,” Diego Franco, a barista from Chicago, said in a statement.

The company maintains that its pay and benefits are industry-leading, and that baristas continue to get more hours of work per week on average.

Starbucks has in recent years faced consumer boycotts, a wave of new competitors and a customer backlash over high prices, as well as turmoil in its leadership ranks.

The chain, under chief executive Brian Niccol, has been working to bring back customers, promising faster service and a return to its coffeehouse roots, with ceramic mugs and hand-written notes.

It has also outlined plans to invest more than $500m to improve staffing and training.

In October, Starbucks reported 1% growth in sales at global stores open at least one year – its first quarterly increase in almost two years. But in the US, sales were flat.

Despite some recent progress in boosting sales, the company is still wrestling with a years-long labour fight that threatens to hamper its turnaround by bringing unwanted scrutiny.

The Starbucks Workers United union, which launched four years ago, said it had won elections at more than 600 stores – roughly 5% of the chain’s company-owned US locations.

Union leaders say relations improved last year, but that contract discussions stalled when Mr Niccol – who was in charge of Chipotle when it faced complaints of labour rights violations – took the helm of the company last September.

Even after the two sides agreed to bring in a mediator in January, they remained at odds over pay, staffing and unresolved charges of unfair labour practices.