A new documentary, Baristas vs Billionaires, tells the story of Starbucks workers in Buffalo, New York, who launched a union-organising campaign in 2021, and the company's fierce response, including intervention by billionaire founder Howard Schultz. Director Mark Mori, a former steelworker and union member, says he was drawn to the project by parallels between the young baristas and previous generations of Rust Belt workers whose jobs and pensions vanished with the decline of US manufacturing, calling their fight "the revenge of the Rust belt". The film, narrated by Susan Sarandon with Alec Baldwin as a contributing producer, is currently shown only at scheduled screenings while a wider distribution deal is negotiated.

The release comes as the dispute between Starbucks and its workers intensifies: Starbucks Workers United began a boycott on 25 August after failing to secure a first contract with the company, despite more than 700 stores having voted to unionise since 2021. The union is demanding a $17-an-hour minimum wage, better staffing and scheduling, and stronger workplace protections, alongside resolution of outstanding unfair labour practice cases. Administrative law judges and the National Labor Relations Board have found Starbucks committed over 500 labour law violations, with hundreds of complaints still unresolved; Starbucks did not directly address the film or boycott but pointed to its pay and benefits.