Entire Starbucks store walks out after manager fires employee

A whole crew of Starbucks employees in Buffalo, New York, walked out after a manager fired someone.

Sam Amato, the employee in question, was fired from the store last week after working for Starbucks for over 13 years.

The location, whose employees voted to unionize in March, has been closed since Friday's walkout as workers strike to demand his reinstatement.

Recently, Starbucks Workers United, an organisation set to help Starbucks workers across the US, took to TikTok to share footage of the moment.

Within the clip that has been viewed more than 20 million times, you see what appears to be customers who appear to be waiting for their drinks.

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Then, in a split second, you see two employees walking past the customers with rectangular-shaped pieces of cardboard as the customers look on.

The video then jumps to a scene showing more Starbucks employees with aprons and cardboard in hand and the customers exiting the store.

"When your entire store walks out after management unjustly fires your co-worker for being a union leader," the video's caption read.

People took to the comments of the video to express support - after it was claimed by some that Amato was fired for being a union leader.

One person wrote: "Starbucks really is hell-bent on ruining their reputation, aren't they."

"Love watching people stand together," another wrote.

A third wrote: "I'm sorry, but I love this for you guys. Companies and businesses need to realize without people, they will not make money."

Others who also worked for Starbucks chimed in to express their praise for the workers who walked out with one writing: "Former barista for Starbucks who walked out with my whole store, and I'm just gonna say it: I'm proud of y'all."

While Starbucks claims Amato was terminated for closing the particular store's lobby without permission, Starbucks Workers United said that's a disguise for the intended firing of a union leader.

Amato has also said he didn't decide to close the lobby.

"I was fired because I was a union leader at my store. My manager couldn't even explain to me why they were firing me. She couldn't look me in the eye," Amato told the outlet.

Amato is one of the dozens of union leaders Starbucks fired in the most recent months as the organisation wave continues, which is expanding to more than 200 locations across the US, despite management terminating workers.

Indy100 reached out to Starbucks for comment.

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