Serving People Serving Coffee Since 2005
Issue link: http://baristamagazine.epubxp.com/i/853621
Unionization: The Next Big Thing in the Service Industry? How Gimme! Coffee Baristas United with Support from Company Management By Tracy Allen WORKERS' RIGHTS HAVE BEEN part of the national dialogue since the Industrial Revolution, when 14–16 hour days were com- monplace, as was a 10 cents per hour wage (translating to just $3 per hour in 2017). Think there was vacation or sick leave (allowed, let alone paid) in 1850? Hardly a chance. Hence the advent of unions in 1881 to protect and further the rights of workers. Congress later created the Department of Labor to oversee occupational safety, wage and hour standards, unemploy- ment-insurance benefi ts, and more, but the "boots on the ground" remained at the union level. Union membership peaked around 1955, when about 25 percent of the country's workforce was part of unions. Today, that fi gure is hovering around 11 percent—and the decline doesn't just affect union workers. Standard wages among union members infl uences private sector wages. The fewer union members there are, the less the private sector is pressured to keep wages at a fair level. According to a 2016 study the Economic Policy Institute, average weekly earnings for nonunion private-sector workers would have been 5 percent higher in 2013 if the share of union workers had remained at 1979 levels. That's a loss of $2,704 annually for the average nonunion worker. It's an understatement that working conditions today are vastly better than they were 100 years ago, but they remain top of mind for anyone who struggles to pay their bills, as costs of living rise in cities across the United States. While many small retail businesses make an effort to provide wages well above the mandated minimum to attract and keep the best workers, it's not always easy. And a primary concern of service workers is often their dependence on tips to make a decent living. On May 31, unionization made a comeback in Ithaca, N.Y. when around two dozen Gimme! Coffee baristas voted almost unanimous- ly in favor of organizing a union to negotiate a contract in their workplaces. This appears to mark the fi rst labor union to be formed at a United States third-wave coffee company. They are now offi cial- ly members of Workers United, a union representing about 85,000 workers in the U.S.A. and Canada. Samantha (Sam) Mason sparked the idea to unionize Gimme! employees in April. She has been a barista at the Cayuga Street location for three years, and in hospitality for a decade. "I love serving people and see myself in this industry long-term," she says. "Unionizing provides a more holistic and sustainable approach that ultimately guarantees workers a democratic say in the workplace. It provides a space for us baristas to collectively deepen our engagement with manage- ment in order for the mission of the company to fully come to life." Korbin Richards, a barista at Gimme!'s Gates Hall location, got excited about the effort when Sam invited him to a meeting with their Workers United representative. "After listening to him explain why he wanted to work with us and doing more research, I became wholeheartedly invested in this project," Korbin says. The local Tompkins County Workers' Center (TCWC) was also crucial to the Gimme! baristas' success. The labor organization pro- vides workers of any background resources, support, and empow- erment on issues they care about. Sam fi rst visited TCWC in early April, and two months later organized the Gimme! workers' union. "This navigation would not have been possible without the TCWC," she says. "They also act as a bridge between workers, unions, and the local community," facilitating discussion. Primary concerns of The process for forming a union is similar across all industries. It's not complicated, but each step can require not-so-easy negotiations. Nothing can be taken for granted: • First, talk with coworkers who may share a common interest in organizing a union. • Then contact your local workers' center to help with strategy. "They will have resources and information that will guide you through your journey," says Korbin. "We believe that unions should be idiosyncratic, and your local center will be your best ally in how to approach and proceed with unionization." • With union goals in place, employees then vote "yes" or "no" on unionizing. • Once your union is offi cial, you'll choose leaders and negotiate a contract with management. • The more democratic and inclusive you make the process, the stronger your union will be. 78 barista magazine