A Starbucks barista strike is expanding to some 5,000 workers at what organizers said was more than 300 stores in 45 states, just as the company's busy holiday stretch begins.

The Starbucks Workers United strike continues at some locations across the United States on Christmas Eve. Several dozen locations are shut down, while many thousand remain open. The company says they are ready to get back to negotiations.

Earlier, Starbucks said the union “prematurely ended” a bargaining session and called for talks to continue. The coffee chain has said it’s focused on improving workers’ experience and that baristas who work at least 20 hours a week receive $30 an hour, on average, when combining pay and benefits.