As Christmas approaches, employees at Amazon and Starbucks are staging strikes across the nation amid ongoing disputes with their employers.

This Thursday, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters initiated what it claims to be the most significant strike against Amazon in U.S. history. The union accused the company of not negotiating fairly with workers before the Dec. 15 deadline.

On Friday, Starbucks Workers United began a protest that is expected to continue until Christmas Eve, primarily focused on an unresolved contract; the union claims Starbucks had assured employees that an agreement would be finalized by year-end.

Here’s a summary of the reasons and locations of the Amazon and Starbucks strikes leading up to Christmas week.

Why are Amazon employees striking?

The Teamsters union is advocating for Amazon to acknowledge a union contract that promises increased wages, improved benefits, and safer working conditions. They informed Amazon that a strike would commence if their demands were not addressed by Dec. 15.

Amazon has consistently rejected the Teamsters’ recognition and stated in response to YSL News that the strike does not genuinely reflect the sentiments of its workforce.

“For more than a year, the Teamsters have misrepresented the situation – claiming to represent ‘thousands of Amazon employees and drivers,’” Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel remarked. “This is simply another attempt to promote a misleading narrative.”

Where are Amazon strikes occurring?

Strikes are taking place at Amazon facilities in New York City, Atlanta, Southern California, San Francisco, and Skokie, Illinois, as stated in a Teamsters news release.

Workers at Amazon who do not have union agreements are also entitled to participate in the strike and refuse to work, according to Teamsters.

How will Amazon strikes affect holiday deliveries?

The timing of the strikes during the holiday season was part of the Teamsters’ strategy.

“If deliveries are delayed this holiday season, you can attribute that to Amazon’s greed,” said Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien in a news release. “They’ve pushed their employees too far, and now they will face the consequences. This strike is on their shoulders.”

Amazon’s Nantel countered that the strikes are not impacting customer orders.

Why are Starbucks employees striking?

The strike at Starbucks is motivated by stalled contract negotiations with the management.

Starbucks Workers United is advocating for a starting wage of $20 per hour for baristas, $25.40 for supervisors, 5% annual raises, and adjustments for the cost of living, as detailed on their website. The union is also pushing for auto-enrollment in 401(k) plans, fully employer-paid healthcare for both part-time and full-time workers, and 13 days of paid sick leave, among other requests.

Starbucks spokesperson Phil Gee noted on Friday that the union “prematurely” ended the recent bargaining session.

“It’s frustrating that they didn’t continue negotiations given the progress made so far,” Gee said. “We have held over nine bargaining meetings since April, leading to more than 30 significant agreements on various topics that delegates of Workers United indicated were important, including numerous economic matters.”

Gee mentioned that Starbucks pays an average salary of over $18 per hour, alongside benefits that cover healthcare, free college tuition, paid family leave, and stock grants.

“The proposals from Workers United call for a drastic minimum wage increase of 64% for hourly employees and a 77% rise over a three-year span,” he highlighted. “This is not a feasible approach.”

Starbucks Workers United has not yet provided a comment on the ongoing strike and negotiations.

when reached out to by YSL News on Friday.

Which cities are experiencing Starbucks strikes?

On Friday, Starbucks Workers United initiated strikes at various Starbucks outlets in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle, as per an announcement posted on X by the labor union. Moreover, the union plans to organize strikes in additional cities each day until December 24.

What impact will the Starbucks strike have on business?

Gee informed YSL News on Friday that there hasn’t been a significant effect on Starbucks business operations.

“We know there are disruptions at a few locations, but the vast majority of our U.S. stores continue to operate normally and serve customers,” said Gee.