Starbucks stores only started attempting unionizing in the past year or two, and the first store to unionize did so in Dec 2021. [1]

So this is all pretty brand new. The union, I presume, wants ALL stores to be unionized, and wants ALL stores to have CC tip options, and for ALL stores to have those other union-negotiated benefits.

Rolling out the ability to accept CC tips as a strictly non-union perk is 100% a union-busting power play.

[1] https://www.vox.com/recode/22825850/starbucks-union-first-or...