In the United States, Starbucks employees went on strike over a new dress code.

In the United States, employees of at least 120 Starbucks coffee shops went on strike over the new dress code. This was reported by the Associated Press on Friday, May 16.

According to the union representing the interests of American employees of the coffee giant, Starbucks Workers United, more than 2,000 baristas across the country are participating in the strike.

The employees' discontent was caused by the company's new rules limiting what baristas can wear under corporate green aprons. The new dress code requires employees in the United States and Canada to wear only a plain black shirt and khaki, black or blue denim trousers underneath.

"Starbucks has lost its way. Instead of listening to the baristas who make Starbucks what it is, they focus on the wrong things, like introducing a new restrictive dress code. Customers don't care what color our clothes are when they wait 30 minutes for a latte," said Paige Summers, shift supervisor at Hanover—based Starbucks.

Earlier, in December 2024, at least 170 Starbucks in the United States closed nationwide due to employee strikes. The "pre-Christmas strike" began after the company and union representatives could not come to an agreement, and employees were provided with a package that did not meet the requirements for wages and working conditions.