Starbucks workers plan strikes that could spread to hundreds of US stores by Christmas Eve

Workers at Starbucks stores plan to go on a five-day strike starting Friday to protest lack of progress in contract negotiations with the company.

The strikes by baristas and other workers were scheduled to take place in Los Angeles, Chicago and Seattle and could spread to hundreds of stores across the country by Christmas Eve. The planned walkouts would come a day after the Teamsters union announced strikes at seven Amazon delivery hubs.

Starbucks said early Friday that there was “no significant impact” to its store operations. Workers at 535 company-owned U.S. stores have voted to unionize, but Starbucks has nearly 10,000 company-owned U.S. stores

“We are aware of disruption at a small handful of stores, but the overwhelming majority of our U.S. stores remain open and serving customers as normal,” the Seattle-based coffee giant said in a statement.