Workers at Better Buzz Coffee’s Hillcrest location voted overwhelmingly Friday to join the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 135, the union announced.
Baristas, trainers and shift supervisors, who organized under the name Better Buzz United, cast ballots in an election held by the National Labor Relations Board.
The workers had cited concerns about wages, benefits, scheduling and overall workplace safety as reasons for seeking union representation.
Barista Ben Leighton, in a news release, said he expects a “new era of cooperation between management and employees at Better Buzz. This is going to be a win-win for both groups.”
“I’m extremely grateful to all of my coworkers for showing up and showing out in support of granting workers a voice,” said another barista, Jackson Ducksworth.
Better Buzz Coffee continues to expand rapidly across southern California, Arizona, and soon Nevada. Despite this growth, workers have voiced concerns that the benefits of expansion have not been equitably shared.
UFCW Local 135 is actively organizing other Better Buzz locations across San Diego County. The company has more than a dozen cafes in the region.
UFCW Local 135 officials called the victory at the Hillcrest location “only the beginning of a broader movement to improve conditions for all employees within the company.”
“Never underestimate the power a group of workers wield when they fight for what they deserve,” said the local’s Lead Organizer Andres Pinzon. “This is a win not only for them, but for baristas and workers everywhere.”