June Bargaining Update!

Baristas in the Bay Area announcing their intention to join our union!

Hello BBIU Baristas!

On Wednesday, June 18th, our Bargaining Committee returned to the table with Blue Bottle—just days after four Bay Area cafés announced their intention to join BBIU. Watch their announcement on our Bay Area Reel! We’d formally given the Company until 12 PM PST on Friday, June 20th to recognize our Union, and in that session Blue Bottle was unprepared to offer any response. 

Our Bargaining Committee had one clear priority going in: securing a solid Tentative Agreement on Immigration Rights. Securing this TA was important to us because across the country we are witnessing a march into fascism as immigrants rights, trans and queer rights, and the rights of organized labor come under repeated attack. Winning protections for immigrant workers is one way that our union can fight back.  

Thanks to our focused push, here’s what we won:

  • Confidential of Status: The company will keep employees’ immigration status private unless legally compelled to disclose.

  • Advance Notice: If federal agents inquire about an individual’s status, the Company must notify both the affected employee and the Union immediately.

  • Controlled Access: Any demand by immigration officials to enter non-public café areas must follow the Company’s written protocol—and those areas must be clearly marked “Employees Only.”

  • No Consent to Searches: Employees will be explicitly informed that they have no authority to consent to searches of Company premises or employees’ property. 

The Union stood firm—reminding Blue Bottle that an attack on immigrant workers is an attack on all of us. Our solidarity and resolve brought this article across the finish line. 

As always, copies of what was passed back and forth at the table are available at the bottom of this update. 

Over the past month, unionists in Boston have faced scare tactics and retaliation following our May walkouts. The Company even sent an email claiming our actions were “intermittent striking” as part of a “hit-and-run” tactic—despite each walkout addressing separate issues. When we pressed the Company on that scare tactic and called out their attempt to break our solidarity, they admitted their case was weak, saying, “I believe I’d have a less than 75% chance of winning that argument.” Blue Bottle’s intimidation proves one thing: they’re scared of our strength and our radical vision for a democratic workplace. Our union is ready and able to fight for that vision.

What’s next?

Now we need to build our power for the next round—and that means everyone stepping up:

Your dues and signatures are the fuel for our fight. Let’s keep the pressure on—and keep showing Blue Bottle that solidarity is our strongest strategy. When we fight, we win!

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SF Chronicle: Blue Bottle Coffee workers are unionizing in the Bay Area