New York City's incoming mayor Zohran Mamdani decided to make his labor politics crystal clear this week, joining Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) workers on a Brooklyn picket line and putting CEO Brian Niccol's compensation package front and center in the conversation.

When $95 Million Meets the Picket Line

"Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol made $95 million last year. His workers are striking for the bare minimum. Glad to be on the right side of the picket line with them," Mamdani wrote on X Tuesday.

Mamdani wasn't alone on Monday's picket line. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) showed up too, lending his voice to Starbucks Workers United members who've been walking out since Red Cup Day, one of the chain's biggest promotional events of the year. Sanders had already spent Friday hammering home the same pay disparity numbers, arguing the company's priorities were badly skewed.

Standing with striking baristas, Mamdani promised his administration would support organizing efforts and "hold these kinds of corporations accountable," according to HuffPost. He said he plans to keep showing up at picket lines after taking office January 1 and use the mayor's platform to shine a light on labor violations.

A $38.9 Million Reality Check

The timing of Mamdani's appearance is notable. Just Monday, city officials announced that Starbucks agreed to pay $38.9 million to resolve more than 500,000 alleged violations of the Fair Workweek Law at over 300 locations. We're talking about last-minute schedule changes and cutting workers' hours without their consent, the kind of scheduling chaos that makes it nearly impossible to plan your life around a barista job.

About $35.5 million of that settlement will flow directly to more than 15,000 workers, with checks expected to arrive as soon as this winter. It's one of the largest labor settlements in city history.

Meanwhile, Niccol, who was brought in during 2024 to lead Starbucks' turnaround, pulled in total compensation of roughly $95.8 million last year. Analysts say that package created one of the widest CEO-to-worker pay gaps in the entire S&P 500.

The workers aren't just striking over past grievances. They're pushing for a first union contract and more predictable scheduling that would let them actually plan their lives beyond the next shift notification.

Price Action: Starbucks shares closed up 0.34% at $85.20 on Tuesday.