More than 2,000 Starbucks baristas across 120 U.S. locations have gone on strike to protest the company’s new dress code, which they say was implemented without union input.
The updated policy, effective Monday, restricts employees to wearing solid black shirts and khaki, black, or blue denim pants under their iconic green aprons. Previously, baristas were allowed more flexibility, including patterned shirts and a wider range of colors.
Starbucks says the change is meant to make employees more visually consistent and to enhance customer experience by reinforcing the brand’s identity. However, many workers believe the focus is misplaced.
“Customers don’t care what color our clothes are when they’re waiting 30 minutes for a latte,” said Paige Summers, a shift supervisor from Hanover, Maryland. “Instead of listening to baristas, they’re focused on the wrong things.”
Starbucks Workers United, the union representing workers at 570 of the company’s U.S. stores, argues that dress code changes should be collectively bargained. The union sees the policy as part of a broader pattern of top-down decision-making that ignores worker input.
The strike reflects growing tensions between Starbucks and its unionized employees. While the company has pushed back against unionization efforts, workers continue to organize around issues like scheduling, pay, and now dress standards.
As the strike continues, both sides remain at odds over whether the new rules are about professionalism or control. Either way, it’s clear that dress code debates are becoming a flashpoint in Starbucks’ broader labor dispute.
