Another wave of "Red Cup Rebellions" is coming to dozens of Starbucks locations.

Strikes are planned for stores in 41 cities on Thursday, Nov. 13 as the clash between Starbucks and unionized workers spills over into the chain's popular Red Cup Day.

Starbucks Workers United, the union that represents some of the chain's baristas, announced earlier this month that it would begin a strike on Nov. 13 if a contractual agreement was not met with the company. The strike falls on Starbucks' annual Red Cup Day, when free, reusable red cups are distributed to costumers with the order of a drink. The limited-edition cup draws out countless Starbucks customers eager for that year's holiday collectible item.

Starbucks and Workers United began negotiations on a contract for union baristas in February 2024, but no agreement has been reached, with both sides pointing fingers at the other.

Here's what to know about Red Cup Day strikes, and where customers could be impacted.

Cities where strikes are planned

The "overwhelming majority" of Starbucks locations are expected to remain open and serve customers as normal on Red Cup Day, Starbucks spokesperson Jaci Anderson told USA TODAY on Nov. 12 .

When contacted by USA TODAY on Nov. 13, Anderson reiterated that most stores remain open.

"In the event a coffeehouse experiences a temporary closure as a result of Workers United’s actions, I can assure there will be stores nearby open and ready to serve customers – we have plenty of Red Cups to give away and are excited to have a great day with our customers," Anderson said.

Certain stores in the following cities may be impacted by the strikes, according to a Starbucks Workers United news release. The union did not provide a list of the specific store addresses. Rallies will be held at several of the participating stores from 4 to 5 p.m. local time on Nov. 13. A map with more information about each rally is available at nocontractnocoffee.org/.

  • Anaheim, California
  • Long Beach, California
  • San Diego, California
  • Santa Clarita, California
  • Santa Cruz, California
  • Scotts Valley, California
  • Seal Beach, California
  • Soquel, California
  • Colorado Springs, Colorado
  • Lafayette, Colorado
  • Des Plaines, Illinois
  • Evanston, Illinois
  • Geneva, Illinois
  • Alpharetta, Georgia
  • Roswell, Georgia
  • Chanhassen, Minnesota
  • Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Saint Louis, Missouri
  • Brooklyn, New York
  • New York, New York
  • Columbus, Ohio
  • Lewis Center, Ohio
  • Reynoldsburg, Ohio
  • Upper Arlington, Ohio
  • Worthington, Ohio
  • Beaverton, Oregon
  • Damascus, Oregon
  • Eugene, Oregon
  • Gresham, Oregon
  • Portland, Oregon
  • Dickson City, Pennsylvania
  • Lancaster, Pennsylvania
  • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Dallas, Texas
  • Denton, Texas
  • Farmers Branch, Texas
  • Richmond, Virginia
  • Mechanicsville, Virginia
  • Redmond, Washington
  • Seattle, Washington

How long will the strikes last?

Starbucks Workers United spokesperson Michelle Eisen, a barista of 15 years, told USA TODAY the strikes are open-ended and will continue until Starbucks presents the union with what it deems as a fair contract.

"With no set end date to the strike, baristas across more than 550 current union stores are prepared to continue escalating to make this the largest, longest strike in company history if Starbucks fails to deliver a fair union contract and resolve unfair labor practice charges," reads a union statement obtained by USA TODAY.

Why are Starbucks employees striking?

Starbucks Workers United says its three core demands include better hours, higher take-home pay and resolutions for alleged unfair labor practices.

Eisen said "workers are tired" of the coffee chain not meeting their financial demands and the union is prepared to continue striking beyond Red Cup Day.

Anderson, the Starbucks spokesperson, contends that "any agreement needs to reflect the reality that Starbucks already offers the best job in retail."

"We are disappointed that Workers United, who only represents around 4% of our partners, has voted to authorize a strike instead of returning to the bargaining table," Anderson said.

A look at previous Starbucks' strikes

The first Starbucks store to unionize was in Buffalo, New York in December 2021 and by November 2023, more than 200 stores participated in the first "Red Cup Rebellion," asking executive leadership to make sound changes for employees.

By April 2024, the Starbucks company and Starbucks Workers United began bargaining, Eisen said. And by November 2024, 500 Starbucks locations across the country had unionized.

However, just before Christmas 2024, thousands of Starbucks baristas went on strike again, resulting in the closure of 59 stores for five days. A Starbucks spokesperson previously told USA TODAY the strikes did not significantly impact store operations.

Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Which Starbucks stores are impacted by Red Cup Day strikes? See a list of cities

Reporting by Greta Cross, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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