The first Starbucks union was formed in Buffalo, New York in December 2021. Since then, nearly 10,000 workers at more than 400 of the 9,000 coffee shops in the United States have chosen Starbucks Workers United (SWU) as their representative.

In February 2024, the company agreed to begin collective bargaining of the agreement with the union. Starbucks has spent $240 million in the last year, according to the SOC, and its expenses include, among others, the payment of lawyers and the cost of sanctions.