New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has called for a public boycott of Starbucks as thousands of baristas launch a nationwide Unfair Labour Practices strike. Mamdani urged consumers to stop buying from the coffee giant in solidarity with workers participating in the “Red Cup Rebellion,” an open-ended walkout timed to disrupt Starbucks’ busiest annual promotion, Red Cup Day. Around 1,000 workers across 65 stores initially joined the strike, accusing the company of understaffing, low wages and stalled contract negotiations. Starbucks insists 99% of stores remained open and says it already provides competitive pay and benefits. With more locations expected to join and over 1,000 labour complaints filed since 2021, the showdown marks a major escalation in the union’s national campaign.
