About 70 workers at four Cat & Cloud Coffee shops in Santa Cruz and Aptos, Calif., recently joined UFCW Local 5 for a better life.
The workers, who are employed as baristas, register operators, and food prep and cooks, joined our union via card check because they were concerned about insufficient pay, hours and scheduling. Their employer recognized the union after these workers wrote a letter to demand recognition. The organizing campaign was driven by the worker-led committee. UFCW Local 5 organizers supported the committee and connected with the workers at their homes and via Zoom about the benefits of being a member of our union.
“I was so impressed by how quickly Cat & Cloud workers rallied together to unionize! We have not been fairly compensated for the service we provide to our community on a daily basis, especially given the cost of living in Santa Cruz County,” said Cat & Cloud Coffee employee Jay Fowler. “I am looking forward to fighting for better material and working conditions for all of us, and raising the bar for treatment of specialty coffee workers, and service workers as a whole.”
“I decided to organize to become an active voice within my community and peers, where I have continued to grow in leadership and confidence in sharing my perspective,” said Cat & Cloud Coffee employee Hanna Svensson. “I think it is an incredibly important time right now for our voices to come together as a union, and to be heard. Other communities were an inspiration to me, and I can only hope that our efforts and our voices can be an inspiration to others, as well. While organizing, I learned that having an environment that hears every idea is essential in making a positive and impactful difference.”