Zohran Mamdani Joins Starbucks Strike, Slams CEO’s Nearly $96M Payday
Starbucks is under renewed scrutiny after SEC filings revealed that CEO Brian Niccol earned $95.8 million in total compensation for 2024, about 6,666 times the pay of a median barista at the company.
Niccol’s pay package which replaced equity he forfeited when leaving his previous job, included a modest base salary plus large stock awards and bonuses.
The revelation coincides with a wave of labor actions led by the union Starbucks Workers United (SWU), where baristas at dozens of stores have walked out demanding higher wages, predictable scheduling and an end to what they call unfair labor practices.
Political attention followed. On December 1, mayor-elect of New York City Zohran Mamdani joined striking workers on a picket line in Brooklyn and posted on social media: “Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol made $95 million last year. His workers are striking for the bare minimum. Glad to be on the right side of the picket line with them.”
For many workers and labor advocates, the contrast between Niccol’s six-figure millions and working-class baristas earning roughly $15,000 annually underscores what they call systemic injustice at one of America’s biggest employers. Critics say the strike, part of the broader “Red Cup Rebellion” movement is not just about wages, but about fairness and dignity on the job.
Starbucks has offered that its “average pay and benefits” for workers eligible under its benefits criteria, amounts to over $30/hour. But the union counters that many part-time workers don’t meet the eligibility threshold, rendering that estimate meaningless.
As the strike continues, public pressure and political support may force management back to the bargaining table — or deepen divisions over compensation and labor rights at the coffee behemoth.
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