‘The policy is not being consistently applied’: labour law academic explains best practices for rolling out dress codes and policy changes in union environments
May 21, 2025
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When Starbucks recently introduced a new dress code for employees at more than 120 U.S. stores, it triggered a coordinated strike by more than 2,000 baristas, and the issue quickly became a flashpoint in a much broader labour dispute that had already been simmering for over a year.
Canadian employers can draw important lessons from the dispute south of the border on how to introduce sweeping policy changes in unionized environments with minimal legal risk, according to Bruce Curran, associate professor of labour and employment law at the University of Manitoba.
“Oftentimes, these debates and strikes are not strictly speaking about the presenting attempt at a policy. It can be much broader,” he says, noting that such disputes often reflect long-standing tensions.
Curran explains that in the Starbucks case, workers see the dress code not just as a change in attire, but as a symbol of the company’s failure to conclude a collective agreement after extended negotiations.
Employee perception of fairness and consistent enforcement can be critical. As has been noted in media coverage, Starbucks employees have complained that dress code policies are being enforced inconsistently among stores, with some employees being sent home for breach of the policy,...
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