Starbucks baristas erupted in nationwide protests after the coffee giant announced a strict new dress code requiring black shirts and limited bottom options. The May 2025 mandate sparked furious demonstrations, particularly in Seattle, with employees citing self-expression concerns and unaddressed issues like understaffing. Union representatives, speaking for over 10,000 workers across 570+ locations, slammed the policy as regressive. The tension between corporate strategy and worker autonomy continues to brew beneath the surface.
When Starbucks announced its new dress code requiring baristas to wear solid black tops, employees weren’t having it. The coffee giant’s May 12, 2025 mandate restricted workers to solid black tops and limited bottom options to khaki, black, or blue denim – a stark departure from their previously flexible dress code. Workers responded with nationwide walkouts and protests.
The company’s reasoning? They want those iconic green aprons to “stand out” as a brand symbol. The company has made green aprons central to their identity since 1987. Because apparently, that’s what matters most right now – not the understaffing or low pay that workers have been complaining about. The move comes as Starbucks faces a 1% comparable sales decline in recent months. Starbucks claims the changes will create a more “consistent coffeehouse experience.” Sure.
Starbucks Workers United, representing over 10,000 employees across 570+ U.S. locations, quickly called foul. The union argued that the company legally must bargain with unionized workers over such policy changes. In Seattle, angry baristas took to the streets in protest, with similar demonstrations spreading across the country.
Starbucks unions show their strength as workers hit the streets, demanding a voice in dress code and workplace policies.
The timing couldn’t be more tone-deaf. While workers nationwide grapple with inadequate benefits and discrimination, Starbucks decided to focus on… shirt colors. The company’s offering two free branded t-shirts to employees, as if that makes up for the additional expenses workers might face updating their wardrobes.
Particularly vocal were queer employees, who expressed concerns about the restrictive dress code‘s impact on self-expression and styling challenges. The union didn’t mince words, labeling the policy “regressive” on social media.
This latest clash comes amid growing tensions between Starbucks and its unionized workforce, which has successfully organized over 500 corporate-run cafes since 2021. Workers are furious about having to “lie and accept” these changes while more pressing workplace issues remain unaddressed.
Meanwhile, Starbucks keeps insisting this is all about creating a “warm, welcoming environment” for customers. But with angry baristas walking out and union protests mounting, that warm welcome might be getting a bit chilly.
