Starbucks strike to expand to more than 300 stores, union says

A walkout at Starbucks is expanding to more than 300 U.S. stores on Tuesday, with roughly 5,000 workers expected to join the five-day labor action that comes to a close later in the day, according to the employees' union.

Workers at 60-plus stores walked off their jobs in 12 major cities on Monday, with the Christmas Eve expansion projected to be the biggest yet by Starbucks Workers Union, which represents workers at 525 stores across the country.

"Half the baristas in my store drive 30 minutes one way because they can't afford to live closer to work," said Lauren Hollingsworth, a barista from Ashland, Oregon, in a union release."These strikes are an initial show of strength," she added.