Peace and power: Workers from Philz Coffee’s Cupertino, Calif., Main location pictured from left: Troy, Shania, Arjay, Makella, and Katie.
Building on previous wins in the Bay Area, Philz Coffee workers at four additional California locations joined the UFCW earlier this fall. The 40 new members from cafés in Glendale and Torrance are represented by UFCW Local 770. Approximately 35 baristas from San Francisco and Cupertino joined UFCW Local 5, which also represents 15 workers in Berkeley. Their first contract negotiations are expected to begin later this month.
“I am really excited to move forward with unionizing,” said Makella Campbell, a barista at Philz Coffee’s Cupertino Main location. “This whole process has made me appreciate my coworkers more and it helped me understand my rights and responsibilities as an employee. It seems like we all have a common goal: a safe and secure workplace.”
The employees at all locations are a mix of baristas, shift leads, and trainers who are seeking union representation for increased wages and benefits, improved scheduling processes, and updated safety and workplace protections. They also have concerns about invasive surveillance and unequal discipline.
“We joined Philz because we believed in its values of being kind, keeping it real, and always pursuing better,” said Irene Leavitt, a Philz Coffee worker in Torrance, Calif. “But too often, our concerns about safety, scheduling, wages, and transparency have gone unheard. We are forming our union because we deserve a real voice in our workplace.”
With Philz Coffee workers from around the state now joining the UFCW, organizers are calling on the company to recognize and honor workers’ decision to unionize, commit to a fair process, and meet workers at the bargaining table in good faith.
Earlier this year, after a public outcry from workers and customers, the chain reversed a controversial decision to remove all pride flags from its 80 locations around California and in Chicago.
Organizing among coffee workers in state continues to gain momentum, with these workers joining a growing wave of unionizing. In Northern California, workers have recently organized at Highwire Coffee, Verve Coffee, and Cat & Cloud Coffee. Other California coffee workers who have organized include those at La Colombe in Los Angeles, Better Buzz in San Diego, and Peerless Coffee Roasters in Oakland.
