Red Cup Day Rebellion! Thousands of Starbucks workers from 200 unionized stores plan to go on strike during coffee giant's biggest sales day of the year

Thousands of employees at the world's largest coffee shop are striking on the company's busiest day of the year.

Starbucks baristas at 200 unionized locations are going on strike today in what will be the largest work stoppage in their five-decade company history.

The strike comes on Starbucks's biggest sales day - Red Cup Day - which marks the beginning of the coffee shop's holiday season, when they debut their iconic festive coffee cups for the season.

It's also a day of deals - with each customer who purchases a 'handcrafted holiday beverage' receiving a free 2023 reusable holiday cup.

The promotion is the company's bid to create a buzz about their festive drinks and encourage customers to ditch disposable cups. 

Last year - the Starbucks annual revenue was $32.25 billion, which was a 10.98 percent increase from 2021. 

The 2022 holiday cup giveaway was the company's highest single sales day of all time - even though 100 of its locations went on strike last year, Axios reports. 

Starbucks Workers Reunited said: 'Last year, workers went on strike. This year, on the heels of victories won by striking workers across different industries nationwide, Starbucks workers are taking the rebellion to the next level!'

According to the union's website - some of the demands their striking for include a base wage of at least $20 an hour for baristas and $25.40 for shift supervisors.

Currently - Starbucks stores have different wages for their baristas based on location. 

California baristas make approximately on average $16.18 and New York City workers get paid $17.02, according to Indeed. 

The wage for a Starbucks employee in Mississippi - the US state with the highest poverty rate - is $12.79. 

Earlier this month, Starbucks said it would raise hourly pay for its U.S. retail workers by at least 3% from 2024, which employees criticized, calling it 'tone deaf' given the company's 11% increase in fourth-quarter revenue and the recent wage increases won by the auto workers.

Starbucks union members are also demanding strong annual raises of 5 percent, a cost of living adjustment and automatic enrollment into an employer-sponsored 401(k) retirement plan.

High quality healthcare is also on their list of demands - with copays capped at $10 and high quality comprehensive coverage.

The workers are demanding a guaranteed and consistent schedule - with full-time status being granted to those who work an average of 32 hours a week as well as a paid 15 minute break and a choice of a 30-60 minute unpaid break. 

They're also striking for 'health and safety issues' such as racial justice, zero tolerance of sexual harassment and a process to fix safety issues at stores.

Last year stores in 25 states - roughly 2,000 employees took part in the labor action and handed out their own red cups that were Grinch-inspired

The efforts come in a time where sustainability is very important for businesses - with many, including Apple and Johnson & Johnson, accused of greenwashing.

Starbucks offers customers who bring their own cup $.10 off their drink plus 25 bonus stars for their rewards program. 

Starbucks claims on their website that they're 'becoming resource positive' by expanding their plant-based menu options, shifting away from single-use cups and managing their waste better.

Starbucks is the biggest coffee shop brand in the U.S. by far with 16,255 locations - the runner up being Dunkin' Donuts with 9,509 locations.  

Starbucks threatened to sue Starbucks Workers United, the union that represents employees of the coffee conglomerate, for trademark infringement following the union's 'Solidarity with Palestine!' tweet.

A letter was sent to the president of the union demanding that the union 'immediately cease and desist' from using the company's name and logo or the company will pursue legal action 'including without limitation monetary damages'.

More than 150 Starbucks stores with 3,500 workers went on strike in June after a union representing the baristas claimed the company ordered them to take down Pride decorations.

The Starbucks Workers United union previously accused the coffee giant of caving into backlash and failing 'to materially support the LGBTQ+ community'.

It said executives had 'banned' stores from displaying rainbow flags and decorations halfway through Pride Month.

In September - a judge found that Starbucks violated regulations when the company increased wages and added new employee benefits for non-union employees only.

Starbucks appealed the ruling, saying: 'Coupled with higher wages and the expansion of hours, these investments have not only resulted in lower turnover, more meaningful improvement in our customer connection scores year-over-year but have also nearly doubled hourly total cash compensation since fiscal year 2020.'