‘This is a union town.’ Zohran and Bernie join the Starbucks picket line to demand the coffee giant reach a fair contract with its unionized workforce after years of delay.
New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and Vermont independent Senator Bernie Sanders joined striking Starbucks workers on the picket line Monday to demand the coffee giant reach a fair contract with its unionized workforce after years of delay tactics.
Speaking outside a store in Brooklyn, Mamdani said New York is a “union town,” and vowed to continue joining pickets even after he is sworn in as mayor on January 1. Responding to a question from Democracy Now!, Sanders said Mamdani’s successful campaign for mayor was a blueprint for the Democratic Party, with affordability and workers’ rights at the center of the agenda. “We have the grassroots of America behind us,” Sanders said.

Starbucks workers at unionized stores across the United States launched an open-ended strike November 13 accusing the company of unfair labor practices. Starbucks Workers United has been bargaining for a contract with the company since early last year. Monday’s picket came just hours after Starbucks reached a $38 million settlement with New York City for labor violations including denying workers stable and predictable schedules.
Democracy Now! is an independent global news hour that airs on over 1,500 TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch our livestream at democracynow.org Mondays to Fridays 8-9 a.m. ET.
Recent Posts
Crypto, AI, and AIPAC Super PACs Are Spending in Lockstep Against Progressives
July 21, 2026
Take Action Now Unprecedented sums are being spent on Democratic primaries, reshaping races while keeping their policy agendas largely out of public…
Don’t Look Away from Cuba
July 21, 2026
Take Action Now The indictment of Raul Castro is the latest in a string of escalations aimed at building pretext for a U.S. invasion of the island…
House Democrats are Finally Shifting on Israel. Party Leaders Must Listen
July 20, 2026
Take Action Now More than 100 Democratic lawmakers voted against arms for Israel. They’re listening to the people – their bosses are behindBy…
Mamdani Says He Is Examining Whether His Government Can Arrest Netanyahu During NYC Visit
July 19, 2026
Take Action Now The mayor said he is in “an active conversation with our legal department” on the matter.By Julia Conley, Common Dreams In a…




