Mamdani, Sanders rally with striking Starbucks workers in NYC

• New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and Senator Bernie Sanders joined striking Starbucks baristas in Brooklyn, supporting demands for better wages and stable scheduling.
• The politicians' solidarity came hours after Starbucks reached a $35 million settlement with New York City for violating local fair workweek laws affecting over 15,000 workers.

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and US Senator Bernie Sanders stood with striking Starbucks baristas outside a store in Brooklyn's Bushwick neighborhood.

The politicians addressed a crowd of workers and supporters, amid the ongoing labor dispute at the coffee giant.

This event came amid a nationwide strike by unionized Starbucks employees demanding better wages, stable scheduling, and a fair collective bargaining agreement.

The strike, organized by Starbucks Workers United, began on November 13, 2025, as an open-ended action accusing the company of unfair labor practices and delaying contract negotiations.

With around 550 unionized stores out of Starbucks' 10,000 company-owned locations in the US, workers have been pushing for improvements since the first union victory in Buffalo, New York, four years ago.

Baristas report chronic understaffing, erratic hours, and wages starting at $18 per hour, which they argue are insufficient amid rising living costs.

Hours before the picket, Starbucks reached a significant settlement with New York City, agreeing to pay $35 million to over 15,000 workers for violations of local fair workweek laws.

The deal also includes $3.4 million in civil penalties and commitments to provide stable schedules moving forward.

The city's investigation, launched in 2022 after numerous complaints, revealed widespread issues like arbitrary hour cuts and denial of additional shifts, making it difficult for employees to balance work with personal responsibilities.

Mamdani, a democratic socialist who won the mayoral election on a platform championing workers' rights, told the gathered crowd, "These are not demands of greed — these are demands of decency."

He emphasized New York's identity as a "union town" and pledged to continue supporting labor actions even after his inauguration – January 1, 2026.

Sanders, a longtime advocate for labor and a supporter of Mamdani's campaign, criticized Starbucks for refusing to negotiate a fair contract four years after the initial unionization efforts. He described Mamdani's victory as a "blueprint for the Democratic Party," focusing on affordability and grassroots mobilization, adding, "We have the grassroots of America behind us."

Workers at the event, carrying oversized mock Starbucks cups emblazoned with union logos, shared personal stories of hardship.

Gabriel Pierre, a shift supervisor from a Long Island store, highlighted the company's failure to schedule fairly despite profitable operations, stating it impedes workers' ability to plan for childcare, education, or second jobs.