Nov. 13 (UPI) -- Thousands of Starbucks workers in about 40 cities began striking Thursday on the company's biggest day of the year.
"We're turning the Red Cup Season into the Red Cup Rebellion. Starbucks' refusal to settle a fair union contract and end union busting is forcing us to take drastic action," Amos Hall, a barista at a store in Pittsburgh told ABC News in a statement.
Red Cup Day is when customers can get a free holiday-themed reusable cup with the purchase of a holiday-themed beverage. It's Starbucks' biggest day of sales of the year.
The union representing the workers, Starbucks Workers United, began the open-ended strike of about 1,000 baristas in 65 stores. It voted to authorize the strike because Starbucks failed to make new proposals on staffing levels and pay after the union rejected an offer in April. The union also wants the company to stop alleged illegal labor practices, including retaliation against union members, ABC News reported.
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