September bargaining update!
Hello BBIU baristas,
Our bargaining team met with the company again, continuing our fight for a fair contract. As always, proposals exchanged are linked below.
Morse Location Closure
We spent significant time negotiating the effects of the WC Morse location closure and secured important wins:
A 5-minute grace period for tardiness during baristas’ first week at their new location.
Recall language for the one barista who couldn’t transfer to an in-unit café (all other baristas were successfully transferred to unionized locations.)
Company proof that the Morse closure decision was made before we announced our intent to unionize East Bay locations.
This final concession was a major victory. All year, our Union has taken decisive collective action over Blue Bottle’s unfair labor practices. Their eagerness to prove the closure wasn’t retaliation shows how much our collective power scares them. (Details on individual barista placements will be shared separately by email since they’re in the tentative agreement.)
Grievances and Arbitration
Blue Bottle is so afraid of our strike power that they pushed to discuss grievances and arbitration—basically, how our contract gets enforced.
In May, the Union proposed the right to strike if grievances can’t be resolved through normal procedures. Without this power, our ability to enforce contract compliance would be severely limited.
Blue Bottle wants the Union to accept a “No Strike” provision in exchange for grievance and arbitration procedures. They’re asking us to give up our most powerful tool for holding them accountable.
Management Rights Power Grab
Blue Bottle showed no movement on other proposals. They insisted that changing dress codes without negotiation is “management’s right.” This is both callous and contradicted by labor law—unless the Union expressly waives our right to negotiate dress code changes, they must bargain with us.
The Bottom Line
As we approach one year of fighting for living wages, harassment protections, scheduling security, and workplace democracy. Blue Bottle has made it clear that they will claim arbitrary and philosophically dubious “management’s rights” over everything unless we increase our pressure.
Their continued unfair labor practices—both at the bargaining table and in our workplaces—show they won’t negotiate in good faith without facing real consequences. It’s time we seriously discuss what stronger action looks like when an employer refuses to bargain fairly and continues violating our rights.
CALLS TO ACTION:
Check your emails for an important survey!
Button up on Friday, September 19 to demonstrate our solidarity and determination that we’re not going to back down
Invite friends and family to a sip-in at all unionized locations Friday, September 19
