Ongoing Starbucks barista strike reaches NH stores

Starbucks baristas’ open-ended strike began on the company's highly marketed, Red Cup Day on November 13, and has grown to include employees from more than 145 stores nationwide. (Nuñez)

By Public News Service

December 23, 2025

By Kathryn Carley

Unionized Starbucks workers in New Hampshire have joined what is now the longest unfair labor practices strike in the company’s history.

Members of Starbucks Workers United walked off the job last month, claiming the company has stonewalled contract negotiations and failed to make credible offers regarding staffing levels and pay.

Caitlin Power, a Starbucks barista in Gardner, said too many of her colleagues are struggling to get by while Starbucks executives make millions.

“We just want to be able to survive and not wonder, ‘Did I get enough hours to buy groceries this week?’” Power explained. “That really shouldn’t be happening at a company that’s making this much money.”

She says workers are asking the community not to cross their picket line and to take an online pledge of support. So far, workers in Epping, Stratham, and Seabrook have joined the strike. Starbucks states it’s committed to bargaining in good faith and a low worker turnover rate reflects what it calls “one of the best jobs in retail.”

Starbucks Workers United has filed more than 125 unfair labor practice charges against the company this year with more than 600 previous charges still unresolved, including those related to bad-faith bargaining and retaliatory firings. The National Labor Relations Board has rebuked the company for engaging in unlawful union busting at stores nationwide. Power argued Starbucks is stalling.

“We need to get them back to the table and we need to finish this contract,” Power asserted. “We finished a really big chunk of it and it’s really important, and it matters for all the workers to improve their lives.”

The union recently notched a win after the company agreed to pay $35 million to settle claims it denied New York City baristas stable schedules and arbitrarily cut their hours. Power stressed when workers do better, so does Starbucks and its customers, whom Power added have shown the striking workers great support.