Starbucks union workers rally for new contracts

Baristas rally outside University District Starbucks

Baristas walked off the job in Seattle's University District, rallying with allies outside the store on Tuesday.

SEATTLE - Baristas at a Starbucks in the University District walked off the job on Tuesday.

Union Workers United shared a video with FOX 13 showing workers stop work and announce their strike inside the Starbucks location.

We saw baristas and their allies also rallying outside the store in University Way. The union tells us baristas are demanding higher wages and more staffing and protections.

Workers rally outside the University District Starbucks

What they're saying:

"I think it's important to show the shareholders that we make their profits, and that our movement will continue."

The rally, happening on the eve of the company's annual shareholder meeting, the coffee chain has been struggling with a decline in sales that has lasted for the past year.

Workers rally outside the University District Starbucks

The other side:

We reached out to Starbucks for comment about the latest rally.

"It is disappointing to see Workers United disrupt our stores and undermine the ongoing mediation process for single-store contracts. Since last April, Starbucks and Workers United have made significant progress through respectful dialog and have reached a number of important agreements," said the Starbucks union representative on Tuesday afternoon.

This is the latest escalation in the workers' campaign for fairer contracts and to unionize. Just last month, students rallied as they demanded the University of Washington cut their relationship with Starbucks.

Workers rally outside the University District Starbucks

The backstory:

The union's reasoning was the same Tuesday morning: The company's failure to increase raises and benefits for baristas. Baristas say Starbucks must respect and invest in their workers.

Starbucks is trying to make a big turnaround. Their sales have struggled over the last year, with price increases and a boycott over their alleged ties to the war in Gaza.

Starbucks just had to lay off more than 1,000 corporate employees across the world, and last month, the CEO told those who got to keep their jobs that they needed to, "step it up, get back in the office and take responsibility for the company's performance."

The Source: Information for this article comes from original FOX 13 Seattle reporting, Starbucks Workers United, and Starbucks.