Posts Categorized: Retail

On March 24, workers at Equator Coffees in Los Angeles joined UFCW Local 770 for a better life.

The workers, who are employed as baristas, shift leads, and prep cooks, joined our union because they were concerned about insufficient pay and scheduling and wanted a voice in the workplace. The campaign to organize these workers included in-person meetings about the benefits of belonging to a union, including around the better wages and benefits that come with a union contract.

The workers are happy to be a part of our union and looking forward to negotiating their first union contract.

“Our win is not only a contract, but a testimony on when you and your colleagues stand in solidarity with the power of collective passion,” said Richard Urquidez. “This victory is the first sip of the fairer future where we look forward to working with dignity and respect.”

“In winning this election, my hope is that it ignites a fire within the coffee community,” said Chloe Manus. “Before the UFCW, the idea of unionization seemed impossible. I knew that my co-workers and I deserved more than what was being ‘offered’ to us by our company. We understand the fight never ends, but this is where it begins. Laborers are the backbone of society and without us the world would stop. I refuse to let the corrupt corporate agenda slowly destroy the working class. Unionize workers now!”

“Upon the win of our union election, I’m incredibly grateful for the support of my co-workers as we come together to address our needs for steady hours, work meals, and a livable wage,” said Nicole Territo. “This victory is a step toward a stronger, more supportive workplace, and I’m looking forward to working together to make meaningful changes for all of us. Let’s elevate the specialty coffee narrative from social justice buzzwords to bold actions that honor both coffee quality and the fight for justice.”

“True social justice requires tangible improvements in wages, benefits, and working conditions, and that workers ourselves must be empowered to advocate for these improvements,” said Chevy Evangelista.

On March 8, RWDSU/UFCW members who work at the Barnes & Noble store in Bloomington, Ill., ratified their first union contract.

In addition to increased wages and the added general protections, the three-year contract includes the following provisions:

• RWDSU Health Care: union health care coverage.
  
  
• Safety Equipment: back braces, wrist guards, anti-slip mats for the cafe area, stools for workers to sit at every information desk and cash register, and on the sales floor, booksellers and baristas will be allowed to sit to get relief when needed.
  
  
• Safety Language: that protects the workers, including a safety committee, de-escalation trainings, the ability to walk away from unsafe situations without fear of reprisal, and a clear process for banning customers who harass or behave inappropriately towards workers.
  
  
• Job Security: if the store closes and relocates elsewhere.
  
  
• Pay Security: for store emergency closing situations.
  
  
• New Trainings: annual anti-discrimination and other trainings.

“It’s been a long difficult year of negotiations and while we had to make a lot of compromises on both sides, in the end our first contract is a win for our booksellers and baristas,” said Zane Crockett (he/him), who is a lead bookseller at the Bloomington Barnes & Noble store. “We now have stools at the registers, locked in raises and increased rates of pay for positions for three years, and an excellent health care package through the RWDSU for our booksellers and baristas that we are very excited about. We hope we’ve paved the way for other stores now that several locations in the country have reached a contract agreement with Barnes & Noble.”

“Workers at Barnes & Noble should be incredibly proud of what they’ve accomplished together in these historic first union contracts from Illinois to New York,” said RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum (he/him). “United in their fight for increased safety in their stores, it was their voices across the table that won. Now, we can finally say their longtime safety needs are codified in union contracts, which also include industry standard setting wage increases, union health care, and more. A union is the only way to ensure workplace protections are secure – especially now, while laws protecting workers are under attack. The Barnes & Noble unionization effort continues to spread across the country, and workers this month have shown a fair contract is not only possible, it’s well within reach.”