Twelve Starbucks employees were arrested after reportedly blocking the entrance to the Empire State Building. According to ABC7NY, the group, consisting of six men and six women, are members of the Starbucks Workers’ Union and were part of an estimated 80 people demonstrating yesterday.
The New York Post reports that the arrests occurred around 1:22 p.m. after the group refused NYPD orders to clear the building’s entrances, resulting in summonses for disorderly conduct. The coffee chain, which has over 17,000 locations across the U.S., has been facing what could become the longest strike in its history, which began on Red Cup Day, Nov. 13.
The ongoing labor dispute has escalated, with Starbucks Workers United stating that union baristas are taking action to remind Starbucks executives that picket lines will continue until the company finalizes a fair contract and ends its union-busting practices, signaling an indefinite strike now affecting over 120 stores in 85 cities. In a show of support, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and Sen. Bernie Sanders joined striking workers at a Brooklyn location, with Mamdani emphasizing the importance of building a New York where every worker can live a life of decency as he addressed the crowd this past Monday.
Significantly, the turnout and commitment of striking workers contributed to a landmark worker protection settlement, as Mayor Eric Adams announced that 15,000 Starbucks employees who were reportedly denied predictable schedules from July 4, 2021, to July 7, 2024, will receive compensation. The company states that 99% of its stores are operating normally despite the protests. Meanwhile, the incident involving the arrested workers at the Empire State Building picket line remains under NYPD review.
