This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

DENVER (KDVR) — Starbucks workers in Denver started striking on Friday morning to protest alleged unfair labor practices by the coffee chain.

The Starbucks Workers United union announced the strike on Thursday.

It started around 7 a.m. at the 2975 E. Colfax Ave. location.

Some workers have claimed that Starbucks has punished them in retaliation for supporting unionization, according to the release.

“We are striking today to call attention to Starbuck’s retaliatory and intimidating actions,
including but not limited to: cutting hours, thus threatening livelihoods and access to (benefits
such as) schooling and insurance; baseless final warnings for (alleged violations of) vague and
inconsistently enforced policies, and spying on and otherwise monitoring pro-union partners and
their activities. These behaviors are disappointing, and in direct contradiction to the Starbucks
Mission and Values that all partners are tasked with living by and upholding. Today, we demand
an immediate stop to these actions that have contributed to an oppositional and uncomfortable
work environment,” shared shift supervisor Michaela Sellaro.

In December of 2021, a Buffalo Starbucks became the first in the nation to vote to unionize. The vote quickly became a trend. The Denver location is one of at least 54 stores in 19 different states trying to organize.