America's Baristas Are Brewing Up a Labor Movement

"Why not push to increase their low wages and get some job protection, things that could "make it a sustainable job for everybody?" With strategy support from Heine workers, 57 Sunergos workers unionized in early 2023. Almost a year later, they inked their first contract which secured pay increases, first-ever paid time off and paid sick leave benefits, and just cause protections against arbitrary discipline or firing. They now have guaranteed quarterly meetings between workers and upper management."

"Heine Brothers and Sunergos paved such a smooth path that Nathan Quillo, the owner of Quills, decided to neither fight the union effort nor force a vote; he voluntarily recognized it. Contract negotiations went smoothly, too. Quills workers took their cues from the Sunergos contract and built upon it. They secured an end to a longstanding wage cap, four weeks of paid family leave as well as bereavement leave, minimum staffing commitments, and fairer scheduling."

A grassroots union surge among coffee shop workers in Louisville has produced multiple successful organization campaigns and collective bargaining victories. Beginning with 220 Heine Brothers baristas, Sunergos workers organized with strategy support and achieved pay increases, paid time off, paid sick leave, just-cause protections, and guaranteed quarterly meetings with management. Quills workers followed, receiving voluntary recognition and negotiating a contract that removed a wage cap, added paid family and bereavement leave, minimum staffing commitments, and fairer scheduling. Combined local-chain victories and several unionized Starbucks locations have resulted in a majority of Louisville café workers becoming union members.

Read at Bon Appetit