May 15 (UPI) — More than 1,200 Starbucks employees launched a strike this week as the company has enforced a new dress code.

The Starbucks Workers United union said that the new dress code, which went into effect on Monday, has exacerbated issues with understaffing at stores leading to walkouts at about 100 stores to express opposition to the policy.

Starbucks barista and union bargaining delegate Jasmine Leli has publicly stated that the company did not consult with the union over the dress code.

“The distraction is Starbucks rolling out all of these new changes when all the customer is concerned about is getting their drinks and going about their merry way. They don’t care what color shirt we have on,” Leli said. “Starbucks hasn’t bargained with us over this dress code change, and we just need them to get back to the table so that we can ratify this contract.”

Starbucks Workers United added that the walkouts are also meant to highlight other issues with the company.

“We’re not just walking out over a shirt color. Starbucks is a massive company that refuses to focus on what’s important. Customers and baristas alike want fully staffed stores, lower prices and wait times, and workers to be taken care of,” the union said in a post on Facebook.

“They refuse to staff our stores properly, give guaranteed hours to workers, pay us a living wage, or provide stipends to pay for this arbitrary dress code,” a separate post from the union to X Wednesday claimed.

The dress code as detailed in a press release last month, baristas may wear “any solid black short and long-sleeved crewneck, collared, or button-up shirts and any shade of khaki, black, or blue denim bottoms.

“We’re also making a new line of company branded t-shirts available to partners, who will receive two at no cost,” the company said.

As per the release, the reasoning behind this change is to “allow our iconic green apron to shine and create a sense of familiarity for our customers, no matter which store they visit across North America.”

“Workers shouldn’t need to spend [money] out-of-pocket to replace perfectly good shirts, pants [and] shoes when we’re already struggling to get by,” the union wrote in a social media post Tuesday.

Starbucks claimed that less than 1% of employees are responsible for the action in regard to dissatisfaction with the code.