(NewsNation) — Starbucks union workers nationwide were preparing to strike Thursday morning, calling for higher pay and better hours.

According to Starbucks Workers United, strikes were planned in at least 40 cities, including New York, Chicago, Seattle and Los Angeles. The union said the strikes aren’t about shutting down Starbucks, but rather turning up the pressure on a day the company can least afford disruption — the popular Red Cup Day, which marks the official start to the coffee chain’s holiday season.

The holiday cup giveaway generates significant revenue for the company. Red Cup Day in 2024 saw a 42.4% spike in daily visits to Starbucks compared to an average Thursday, according to data from Placer.ai.

Starbucks has emphasized that most stores aren’t unionized and that the vast majority of locations will stay open, the Associated Press reported. In a statement to NewsNation, Starbucks said that the union represents around 9,500 employees in 550 stores, and that less than 1% of their 10,000 corporate-owned stores were impacted by the strike. The Associated Press reports that 65 stores have been impacted.

The union has said the strike is open-ended and could continue beyond Thursday if a deal is not reached. A union spokesperson said if the company continues to stall, it should expect to see business grind to a halt.

“Starbucks knows where our union stands. They know our demands. They need to finalize this contract and stop union busting before the holiday season begins… otherwise, we’ll be ready,” the union posted on social media.

Starbucks has pushed back arguing it already offers robust benefits and claims the union “left bargaining” conversations previously in April.

“We’ve been very clear – when the union is ready to come back, we’re ready to talk. The facts show people like working at Starbucks. Partner engagement is up, turnover is nearly half the industry average, and we get more than 1 million job applications a year,” Jaci Anderson, a Starbucks spokesperson said. “Any agreement needs to reflect the reality that Starbucks offers the best job in retail, including more than $30 an hour on average in pay and benefits for hourly partners.”   

Customers were encouraged to prepare for the possibility of longer wait times and store closures.