The boycott public appeal made by New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in support of workers who are striking against Unfair Labor Practices has inadvertently become an online debate.
This has led to a social media “roast” of the global coffee giant itself. Mamdani, a notable democratic socialist and labor ally, declared on X that he would not buy anything from the chain until the bountiful baristas got a contract and he urged everybody to take part in the “No contract, no coffee” movement.
He intended to give more power to the workers, and they would be taking the lead in demanding better working conditions and higher wages as the contract negotiations remained stalled, but still, the conversation shifted quickly.
Many users, both supporting and opposing the boycott, took the chance to express their grievances about the high prices of the chain and their view on the quality of coffee that is going down, and the catchphrase “Who wants to pay for overrated coffee in the first place?” became a favorite. The strike period coincided with Starbucks’ “Red Cup Day,” a day of high sales for the company, which just made the online debate even fiercer.
Worker Solidarity and Corporate Accountability
Mamdani’s choice to side with the Starbucks Workers United union signals a larger movement for corporate accountability that is already being initiated by elected representatives. The union’s indefinite strike against Unfair Labor Practices has involved over a thousand baristas across around 65 stores situated in various US cities.
They are protesting the company’s alleged union-busting and also the fact that since the first store unionized in 2021, the company has not made any moves towards a collective bargaining agreement.
For Mamdani, who has always been a supporter of labor rights and affordability for New York City, it is an opportunity for him to speak out loud and clear that the capital market should not be the place for exploiting labor.
Mamdani’s high-profile support together with other leftist leaders such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has not been able to make a dent in Starbucks’s claim that the strike will only impact less than 1% of its stores in North America.
Digital Activism Meets Public Consumer Sentiment
The overwhelming response to the boycott, which spread rapidly from the labor dispute at the core to consumer value, shows the impact that digital activism has on today’s protest movements.
Though Mamdani’s message was primarily one of worker solidarity, it was the users who were disillusioned with the chain’s pricing system that made the loudest noises online.
This dual conversation, a critique of Starbucks’ labor practices combined with long-term consumer grievances about cost, indicates that the public is more and more ready to use their buyer power as a form of protest, whether the reason is the price being too high or the company’s labor record.
The online roast, therefore, acts as a political statement against corporate labor practices and a public expression of general sentiment about the cost of luxury items that are consumed daily.
A recent media graduate, Bhumi Vashisht is currently making a significant contribution as a committed content writer. She brings new ideas to the media sector and is an expert at creating strategic content and captivating tales, having working in the field from past four months.
