A bargaining unit of 46 employees at six Commonplace Coffee cafes and one roasting facility in Pittsburgh voted to join UFCW Local 1776 last month.
The workers, who are employed as baristas, food preparers, and coffee bean roasters, were moved to unionize by a desire for livable wages, consistent hours and scheduling, improved working conditions, and a voice in the workplace. Workers also want to ensure that as the company gets bigger, it doesn’t morph into something they don’t recognize.
They enjoy working at Commonplace Coffee and want to help it grow in a way that respects the skilled workers at the heart of the cafe experience.
“I am unionizing because I respect my fellow workers and recognize the exploitation that comes with working within a capitalist system, where over the past 40 years productivity has skyrocketed while wages remain stagnant,” said Glen Brown, facilities lead at Commonplace Coffee headquarters and roastery.
This organizing victory at Commonplace Coffee builds on the growing momentum of unionized coffee workers in the Pittsburgh area, where UFCW Local 1776 already represents members at Coffee Tree Roasters and La Prima Coffee. Together, these workers are raising standards across the industry and proving the power of collective action.
“Through unity and persistence, employees at Commonplace Coffee fought for a successful unionization effort, marking an important milestone and the beginning of a stronger future built on solidarity, representation, and a unified voice on the job,” said UFCW Local 1776 President Wendell Young IV.