Starbucks workers are preparing for a five-day strike starting on Friday, driven by frustration over stalled contract negotiations with the coffee giant.

The planned strikes will kick off in key cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle, with the possibility of spreading to hundreds of stores nationwide as Christmas Eve approaches.

Starbucks Workers United, the union representing employees at 535 Starbucks-operated stores across the U.S. since 2021, alleges the company has not upheld a February promise to finalize a labor agreement before the year's end. The union is also pushing for resolution on several legal disputes, including hundreds of unfair labor practice complaints filed by workers with the National Labor Relations Board.

The union pointed out that Starbucks’ recently appointed Chairman and CEO, Brian Niccol — who assumed his role in September — could earn over $100 million in his first year. Meanwhile, Starbucks has proposed an economic package that includes no immediate wage increases for unionized workers and a 1.5% raise in the years ahead, a deal the union rejects.

“Unionized baristas understand their worth and refuse to accept a proposal that fails to recognize them as genuine partners,” said Lynne Fox, president of Workers United.

Starbucks, headquartered in Seattle, countered that the union prematurely ended a bargaining session earlier this week. The company, which operates close to 10,000 stores in the U.S., emphasized its commitment to continuing discussions.

“We remain prepared to negotiate toward agreements. It’s the union that needs to return to the table,” Starbucks said in a statement.

The company highlighted its benefits package, which includes offerings like free college tuition and paid family leave, amounting to $30 per hour in total compensation for employees working at least 20 hours per week.

This isn’t the first time workers have gone on strike during Starbucks’ busy holiday season. In November 2023, thousands walked out across over 200 stores on Red Cup Day, a promotional event famous for the giveaway of reusable cups. Earlier in June 2023, hundreds of workers staged a protest following union claims that Starbucks barred Pride merchandise at certain locations.

Earlier this year, there seemed to be hope for resolution as both sides reconvened at the bargaining table and expressed a commitment to reaching an agreement. Since April, Starbucks has conducted nine bargaining sessions with the union and finalized over 30 agreements. However, progress has recently come to a standstill.

“At a time when Starbucks poured millions into securing top-tier executive talent, it has failed to present the baristas who power its operations with a fair economic proposal,” said Fatemeh Alhadjaboodi, a Texas-based Starbucks barista and union delegate, in a statement.