The voices of 23,000 workers hidden behind a cup of coffee have finally burst forth. On July 16, 2026, Starbucks Korea workers directly confronted management operations marked by 'dismissal of demands and unreasonable events' by forming the country's first labor union in the franchise coffee industry.
Starbucks Korea workers joined the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions' National Chemical, Textile, Food Industry Union on the 16th and established the 'Starbucks Branch,' it was announced on the 19th. This has been recorded as an unprecedented first case of labor union formation in the domestic franchise coffee industry. Starbucks Korea currently directly employs approximately 23,000 employees.
Regarding the reason for establishing the union, the union strongly criticized that 「the company repeatedly limited communication channels with partners through a mere façade called 'empathy meetings.'」 It further claimed that 「the company ignored partners' demands and instead unilaterally imposed more unreasonable events and operational policies than before.」 Specifically, it pointed out issues including decreasing staffing during time slots, increasing promotions and events, and resulting increased labor intensity. Additionally, insufficient wages for livelihood, work schedules that make side jobs difficult, and difficulties in filing industrial accident claims were mentioned as background factors for union establishment.
As approximately 23,000 large-scale directly employed workers have formed a union in this manner, this incident is expected to have enormous repercussions throughout the domestic franchise coffee industry. Starbucks Korea's union establishment, which adopts a direct employment system for store workers, is likely to have an impact on other coffee franchise companies as well.