Video of Starbucks Staff Walking Out in Protest Viewed Nearly 20M Times

A video of Starbucks staff walking out of their store to protest the firing of a union leader has gone viral on TikTok.

Sam Amato was terminated from his job at a Starbucks store in Tonawanda, a suburb of Buffalo, New York, on Friday.

His colleagues walked out in protest. A video posted on TikTok by @sbworkersunited—which represents Starbucks employees working to unionize—capturing the moment staff walked out in solidarity with their "unjustly fired" colleague has amassed more than 19 million views and garnered over 3 million likes.

Amato has said his firing was retaliation for his union activity, an allegation that more than 70 pro-union workers dismissed by Starbucks from stores across the country have made.

Starbucks told Newsweek that he was let go for store policy violations, and that Amato had previously been issued a final warning for not adhering to store closing policies.

"All partners are required to comply with company standards, policies, and procedures," a Starbucks spokesperson said. "Our partners are aware that failing to uphold these standards can result in separation. We will continue enforcing our policies consistently for all partners."

About 200 of Starbucks' U.S. stores have unionized since last December, while workers at dozens more stores are waiting for their union elections.

Starbucks opposes the unionization effort, saying stores function better when the company works directly with employees.

Workers at stores, including the Tonawanda location, have gone on strike to protest the alleged retaliation.

In June, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) accused Starbucks of employing union-busting tactics and asked a federal court to order the coffee company to stop interfering with unionization efforts.

Amato is the ninth union leader in the Buffalo area to have been fired, Starbucks Workers United told local television station WIVB. The union has filed an unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB on Amato's behalf.

Amato said he was told by management that he was being fired for closing the lobby of the store when there was a staff shortage last month.

He described it as "a BS reason" in another video posted on TikTok.

"I was pulled aside by my store manager and another store manager named JJ and I was told that due to an incident where we modified operations and closed the lobby, I am being separated because I did not get my store manager's permission," Amato said.

"It is a BS reason. It's because I'm a union leader."

Management refused to provide further details during the meeting, Amato said.

"It's ridiculous. I've worked so hard, and that's the least that they could give me is to tell me why I'm fired or why, why this happened and they couldn't even do that," he said. "Couldn't even look me in the eye and tell me why and it's really offensive and shameful."

On Twitter, Amato added: "13 years of dedication, passion and hard work. This is what @Starbucks does to hardworking and dedicated employees. Shame on them. No respect or courtesy."

The incident comes after a Starbucks worker said she was fired for being two minutes late to a shift.

"They served me separation papers while I was trying to open the store," she wrote on Twitter. "Surely it will come as no surprise that I have been a union supporter and involved in organizing."

Starbucks denied that the firing was related to union activity.

Amato and SBWorkersUnited have been contacted for further comment.

Update 8/11/22, 10:25 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from a Starbucks spokesperson.