Tell Blue Bottle Corporate: No Surveillance Cameras!

Blue Bottle Independent Union, the badass baristas who unionized six Boston area Blue Bottle cafés last year, are still fighting for a fair first contract. And they are up against a true Goliath. 

That’s because Blue Bottle, despite the vibes, isn’t a tiny group of hip, locally owned coffee shops. The fact is, Blue Bottle is an international chain owned by Nestlé, a corporation known for its human rights controversies.

But this union isn’t scared of a Goliath. This week, Blue Bottle baristas across Boston marched on the boss in response to the company’s notice that they intend to bypass ongoing contract negotiations and unilaterally install surveillance cameras in union cafés. 

Surveillance Camera Negotiations

Here’s a bargaining update directly from Blue Bottle Independent Union:

“For the past several months, our union has repeatedly engaged with Blue Bottle in good faith to negotiate cameras as a part of our contract. Repeatedly, we’ve expressed to them that we feel that agreeing to just cause for discipline is a fair trade for cameras.

Despite the fact that Blue Bottle has engaged in bad faith negotiations over surveillance cameras for months, by either refusing to answer or delaying to respond to basic questions about the surveillance cameras, the company is now attempting to bypass negotiating with the union on this issue and declaring impasse. As a result, we’re filing unfair labor practice charges against Blue Bottle. 

Let us be clear: Blue Bottle is not attempting to install surveillance cameras to improve café security, they are doing so to bust our union. While our priority in bargaining sessions has been fighting for a democratic workplace with livable wages, scheduling security, and protection from harassment, Blue Bottle’s myopic focus has been on forcing discussion on surveillance cameras. They feel so much disdain for their workers that they believe that they can steamroll us without negotiating on the rest of our current package.”

Tell Blue Bottle Corporate: No Surveillance Cameras!

Blue Bottle Independent Union has given Blue Bottle corporate until noon on Tuesday, May 6 to recommit to good faith negotiations with the union. If Blue Bottle fails to do so, the union is ready to take further action.

Blue Bottle depends on their reputation as a progressive employer to sell coffee. It’s time to let them know that they need to live up to their values. Stand with Blue Bottle baristas: tell Blue Bottle management to bargain in good faith with the union now!

In solidarity,

The Labor Force