Starbucks workers in South Korea demand fair wages, form first union

Starbucks workers in South Korea have established their first labor union, marking a significant development in the country's franchise coffee industry after 27 years of Starbucks' presence. The union, affiliated with the Korean Chemical, Fiber and Food Workers' Union, seeks fair wages and better working conditions, citing intense workloads and low pay.

Jo Ju-yeon, a barista with six years at Starbucks, explained the pressure: "When new drinks or merchandise are launched, we get tense. Customers flood in, and orders pile up to 50-100 at a time. We can't even finish washing dishes or tidying the store on time, leading to late departures, but staffing isn't increased."

“

When new drinks or merchandise are launched, we get tense. Customers flood in, and orders pile up to 50-100 at a time. We can't even finish washing dishes or tidying the store on time, leading to late departures, but staffing isn't increased.

Kim Eun-jung, who has worked there for nine years, highlighted issues with overtime pay and unpaid labor. "Extended work for event preparation isn't recognized, and we have to use our personal time to study event guidelines and even take quizzes," she said. "Checking dozens of notices and 'customer feedback' before clocking in is essentially free labor."

“

Extended work for event preparation isn't recognized, and we have to use our personal time to study event guidelines and even take quizzes. Checking dozens of notices and 'customer feedback' before clocking in is essentially free labor.

The union also points to difficulties in scheduling and low wages. While partners can work up to five hours a day, five days a week, the hourly wage of 11,250 won (as of 2026) only slightly exceeds the minimum wage. Even with weekly holiday pay, the monthly income barely reaches 1.22 million won, less than half the median income for a single-person household. Furthermore, unpredictable schedules make it difficult to hold second jobs.

Lee Yong-bin, the union's branch president, expressed frustration with the lack of effective communication channels. "We have dialogue sessions called 'Empathy Meetings' with store managers, but there are no tangible improvements felt on the ground," he stated. "We keenly felt the need for a union to convey the voices of frontline partners to the company."

“

We have dialogue sessions called 'Empathy Meetings' with store managers, but there are no tangible improvements felt on the ground. We keenly felt the need for a union to convey the voices of frontline partners to the company.

Starbucks Korea responded by stating, "We will strive to maintain continuous communication with the union."

“

We will strive to maintain continuous communication with the union.