The Labor Force has really showed up for Blue Bottle Independent Union in recent weeks. From making donations to their strike fund to showing up in person to picket with baristas, the support of this community was deeply felt by union members and The Labor Force team. Thank you!
Wait…pay cut? In case you missed it, earlier this year baristas at SIX Blue Bottle cafés in Boston voted to unionize after the chain refused to pay them what they’re worth. But Nestlé’s Blue Bottle bosses aren’t coming to the table to negotiate a fair contract. Instead, they are effectively giving workers a pay cut by shutting down a unionized café for unnecessary renovations.
Blue Bottle’s decision to renovate this location means that already struggling workers will be facing even tougher times. The union’s asks are simple: guaranteed hours at other stores for displaced baristas, a tip differential, and commuter benefits for workers traveling to other locations during the renovations.
Without these concessions, baristas across the state will be scheduled for fewer hours and have shrunken tip pools. This is a de facto pay cut being implemented just as baristas have to begin thinking about heating bills.
Blue Bottle baristas explained to higher-ups how this renovation amounts to a pay cut for all workers in the state. But the company just told them that they “didn’t see it that way.”
It seems pretty clear to us that fewer hours, less tips, and higher commuting costs mean less income for workers who are already having trouble making ends meet. That’s just math.
Take Action: Tell Blue Bottle “No Pay Cuts”
Right now, Blue Bottle Independent Union is ramping up their fight for the pay and benefits their members deserve. Can you show the strength of their support by sending a letter to Blue Bottle’s Director of Café Operations, Anne Conroy. Tell her that this pay cut is unacceptable. Blue Bottle needs to provide for baristas during this renovation!
In solidarity,
The Labor Force