As Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly expand sales of their popular diabetes and weight-loss drugs, cheaper copies of their patented remedies are winning approval from some regulators overseas, posing a threat to the pharma giants' prices and market share.

The walkouts in Los Angeles, Chicago and Seattle come after talks between the company and the workers’ union failed to produce an agreement on raises.

Workers at Starbucks stores plan to go on a five-day strike starting Friday to protest lack of progress in contract negotiations with the company. The strike, which would come a day after online retail giant Amazon was also hit by a walkout in the crucial final shopping days the season,