Colorado Starbucks baristas join growing national strike for fair wages, labor practices

DENVER, Colo. (KRDO) – Workers from Colorado Starbucks locations took to the picket lines Saturday, joining a growing national strike against the company to protest what they say is the company's refusal to negotiate pay and address complaints about unfair labor practices.

The movement doesn't stop in Denver, though. Today marks the fourth day of a five-day strike to protest lack of progress in contract negotiations nationwide, according to Starbucks Worker's United.

The union says the coffee chain refuses to meet its demands for immediate and future pay raises. They're also claiming unfair labor practices.

Over the weekend, Colorado baristas joined Starbucks workers from eight other states, including Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

RELATED: Starbucks union strike expands to 9 states

The strike could grow to affect hundreds of stores across the country by Christmas Eve, according to the Associated Press. Workers at 535 stores have voted to unionize, but Starbucks has nearly 10,000 company-owned U.S. stores.

According to our Denver news partners, many of the stores on strike in the state's capital city remained open this weekend after management replaced the striking union workers with managers and workers from nearby non-union stores.

The union tells our Denver news partners that the strikes are expected to continue growing through Christmas.