'No contract, no coffee': Zohran Mamdani backs 1,000 Starbucks baristas on strike, urges public not to buy

New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announced his support for a strike by Starbucks baristas and urged the public to boycott the chain in solidarity. The workers, organised under Starbucks Workers United, have launched an open-ended strike across more than 40 US cities.

The strike began on Red Cup Day, Starbucks’ annual holiday promotion when customers receive free reusable red cups—a day the union has dubbed part of its "Red Cup Rebellion".

Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, took to X (formerly Twitter) to call for a boycott. “While workers are on strike, I won’t be buying any Starbucks, and I’m asking you to join us. Together, we can send a powerful message: No contract, no coffee,” he wrote.

He added that Starbucks employees are engaged in an Unfair Labor Practices (ULP) strike, fighting for a fair contract. According to Mamdani, this stance aligns with his long-standing support for labour rights; he has said the workers deserve better wages and working conditions. At a rally earlier, he also criticised Starbucks’ leadership, pointing to CEO Brian Niccol’s substantial compensation amid what he described as stagnant conditions for workers.

Starbucks has acknowledged the strike but has said the disruption remains limited. According to the company, fewer than 1 per cent of its locations are unionised, so the immediate business impact is modest. A company spokesperson also told media outlets that Red Cup Day was proceeding successfully and that sales were on track to exceed expectations.