Unionized baristas at Blue Bottle Coffee, a popular coffee chain owned by Nestle, staged a multi-day strike over the Thanksgiving shopping weekend. The walkout, organized by the Blue Bottle Independent Union (BBIU), affected nine cafes in Boston and California’s East Bay, with workers demanding a living wage, predictable scheduling, and stronger protections against harassment and arbitrary discipline.
The strike intensified a year-long contract fight between the baristas and Blue Bottle Coffee. According to a Harvard Crimson report, the BBIU is seeking a starting wage of $30 an hour in Boston based on the MIT Living Wage Calculator. This demand comes amid reports of deteriorating working conditions since Blue Bottle was acquired by Nestle in 2017 for approximately $500 million.
The union has alleged several unfair labor practices in the past year, including the recent termination of BBIU treasurer and communications director Abbey Sadow, a Boston-area barista, for an alleged dress code violation. In a statement to the Boston Globe, a Blue Bottle spokesperson said the company is committed to bargaining in good faith and has responded to all proposals brought forth by the union.
The strike affected six Boston-area shops plus three Bay Area cafes in Berkeley, Old Oakland, and Piedmont. Pickets lines were set up, and calls for customers to boycott Blue Bottle until a first contract is reached were made. The union’s press release stated that Blue Bottle baristas see 46% of their income going towards rent, with roughly a third of baristas paying over 60% of their income toward their rent.
The BBIU’s actions serve as a call to action for other coffee chains to address these issues and ensure that their workers are fairly compensated for their labor.
This strike highlights the ongoing struggle for fair wages and working conditions in the coffee industry, particularly in expensive cities like Boston and the Bay Area. The BBIU’s actions serve as a call to action for other coffee chains to address these issues and ensure that their workers are fairly compensated for their labor.
1. Unionized baristas at Blue Bottle Coffee staged a multi-day strike over Thanksgiving weekend, demanding better wages, scheduling, and protections against harassment. 2. The strike affected nine cafes in Boston and California’s East Bay, with pickets lines and calls for customers to boycott the chain until a first contract is reached. 3. This strike highlights the ongoing struggle for fair wages and working conditions in the coffee industry, particularly in expensive cities like Boston and the Bay Area.
CLOSE: Are you supportive of the BBIU’s actions? What do you think other coffee chains should do to address these issues and ensure fair treatment of their workers? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Questions & Answers
Who went on strike at Blue Bottle Coffee over Thanksgiving weekend?
Blue Bottle Coffee workers went on strike during the Thanksgiving weekend.
What was the reason for the Blue Bottle Coffee worker’s strike?
The Blue Bottle Coffee workers went on strike over concerns about working conditions and pay.
Information sourced from industry reports and news outlets.
