NEW YORK (AP) – Workers at Starbucks stores began a five-day strike Friday to protest lack of progress in contract negotiations with the company.
The strikes by baristas and other workers were scheduled to take place in Los Angeles, Chicago and Seattle and could spread to hundreds of stores across the country by Christmas Eve.
Starbucks Workers United, the union organizing Starbucks’ baristas, said at least 10 locations were closed down as of midday Friday.
The walkouts came a day after the Teamsters union announced strikes at seven Amazon delivery hubs.
Starbucks said early Friday there was “no significant impact” to its store operations.
“We are aware of disruption at a small handful of stores, but the overwhelming majority of our U.S. stores remain open and serving customers as normal,” the Seattle-based coffee giant said in a statement.
Workers at 535 company-owned U.S. stores have voted to unionize, but Starbucks has nearly 10,000 company-owned U.S. stores.