Baristas on Strike

On the Picket Line in Gilbert

Baristas on Strike
Picketers gather outside a Starbucks in Gilbert, Arizona, one of several locations shuttered as the company grapples with union-organizing efforts among its workforce.

Starbucks Workers United members gathered on a picket line in Gilbert, Arizona, as the union and federal labor prosecutors have accused Starbucks of retaliatory store closures, surveillance of union organizers and the firing of union supporters.

Workers at more than 600 U.S. Starbucks locations are seeking to negotiate their first contracts.

Sen. Ruben Gallego visited the picket line, distributing breakfast burritos and expressing support for the workers. Speaking to reporters, Gallego criticized Starbucks' labor practices and raised broader concerns about corporate power.