Is This Mamdani's Priority? Mayor-Elect Is Making the Starbucks Strike His Next Major Political Battle

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has thrown his political weight behind the national Starbucks labor movement, publicly calling on his followers to boycott the coffee giant as workers staged a significant strike on one of the company's most crucial sales days, "Red Cup Day." This intervention marks the socialist-aligned, pro-union politician’s next major public stance since his election.

On Monday, as workers in over 25 US cities walked off the job, Mamdani leveraged his social media platform to support the baristas.

Mamdani’s Call to Action

Mamdani, who is openly identified with the socialist movement and holds a strong pro-union position, posted a direct message to his 1.1 million followers on his X account (formerly Twitter):

"Starbucks workers across the country are on an Unfair Labor Practices strike, fighting for a fair contract. While workers are on strike, I won’t be buying any Starbucks, and I’m asking you to join us. No contract, no coffee."

This political endorsement gives a major boost to the striking workers, who are represented by the Starbucks Workers United union. The union represents approximately 9,000 baristas out of the company’s workforce of over 200,000.

The Strike and Corporate Counter

The strike action coincided with "Red Cup Day," an annual event known for high customer turnout due to the free reusable holiday cups distributed with purchases. This is the fourth strike since 2023 and the third since Brian Niccol became CEO in 2024.

Starbucks, however, downplayed the impact, claiming that despite the walkout, 99.9% of its US stores remained open. The company maintains that the union is making unreasonable demands and asserts that the average barista already earns $19 per hour, an overall compensation package it claims is valued at over $30 per hour with benefits included.

The union, conversely, claims it has filed over 1,000 complaints alleging unfair labor practices against Starbucks with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The NLRB has, in turn, accused the company of anti-union retaliation, citing instances of store closures and worker dismissals, allegations Starbucks denies. The negotiations, which seemed promising earlier this year, collapsed quickly amid mutual accusations.

Beyond the Boycott

Mamdani’s foray into this corporate labor dispute has drawn criticism online, yet it aligns with his political priorities.

The company is facing criticism on multiple fronts. In addition to the labor dispute, CEO Niccol’s recent initiatives, such as instructing employees to spend time drawing friendly messages on cups, have been met with resistance from workers who say the practice is too time-consuming and can be misinterpreted as flirting. Furthermore, Starbucks has faced backlash for closing hundreds of stores across the US, including 59 unionized locations, with very short notice, causing chaos among employees, city officials, and property owners, particularly in New York.

Mamdani’s focus on the Starbucks labor fight, while significant, follows a string of highly visible political actions since his election, making this boycott call his newest major obsession as he prepares to take office.