Baristas at Blue Bottle Coffee Rally Together for Better Treatment
On November 26, 2025, around 120 Blue Bottle baristas from nine unionized stores went on strike across Boston and the Bay Area. Represented by Blue Bottle Independent Union (BBIU), the baristas staged a multi-day strike over the Thanksgiving weekend, demanding better working conditions, adequate pay, and an end to unfair labor practices.
Once a small, independently owned coffee shop in San Francisco, the company has grown to over 100 locations across the United States, Japan, Hong Kong, and other Asian countries. In 2017, Nestlé purchased a considerable stake in the company, in hopes of expanding and transforming the craft-focused brand. However, as corporate profits rose significantly, baristas’ wages did not reflect the company’s growing success. Because of their low wages and the high cost of living in cities where Blue Bottle operates, many workers have reported living out of their cars, relying on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP) for food, selling plasma to pay for bills, or even skipping meals altogether.
In May of 2024, workers voted to unionize, which led to the creation of BBIU. The status of it as an independent union indicates it lacks affiliations with a national union, allowing for a more democratic style of operating with specific accountability to its members. However, this status also limits its access to staff, technical, and financial support, making collective action increasingly difficult. Since its formation, the union has attempted to negotiate better pay and improved policies surrounding work culture. BBIU has been in the process of bargaining with the company since October 2024, yet little progress has been made to meet their demands. As a result, the union has led walkouts and filed Unfair Labor Practice charges against the company’s actions. They are accusing the Nestlé-owned coffee company of impeding negotiations, firing union organizers, and installing surveillance cameras across stores for the purpose of monitoring union members, all of which are violations of the National Labor Relations Act.
Most recently, the union’s efforts have led to a walkout strike against unfair labor practices during Thanksgiving week, one of the busier times of the year due to the holiday and Black Friday sales. On the first day of the strike, November 26, baristas united by withholding their labor and protesting outside of their store’s locations. According to Working Mass, a local newspaper in the Boston area, the strike lasted four days with workers successfully closing down the operations of most stores in the Boston and San Francisco East Bay regions. Baristas protested against bad-faith bargaining and retaliation against union members. They called for living wages, protection from harassment, consistent work schedules, and better workplace protections.
Because the union is an independent one, BBIU did not have the financial reserves to support workers who protested and lost out on their pay. However, the union was able to raise money from community support to be able to pay the baristas who participated in the strike. Although workers were able to highlight their unity and demonstrate their collective power, there is still progress to be made in negotiations with the company.
According to the BBIU blog, as of March 26, 2026, the union met with company representatives on January 28 and 29 to continue its fight for better treatment. While the bargaining team had hopes of improved negotiations, the company largely ignored their demands, instead driving the conversation towards management’s rights and a “No Strikes” clause. The company also offered a mere 25-cent per hour raise solely to San Francisco East Bay stores, but only if workers agreed not to receive any other wage increases after the first year of the contract. As the union attempted to ask follow-up questions about management rights, the company’s bargaining team reportedly left in the middle of negotiations. The union also continued to fight for the reinstatement of three union members who were unlawfully fired for their union activities.
As highlighted above, Blue Bottle has repeatedly failed to negotiate in good faith with the union. Their sad attempt at bargaining is appalling and a slap in the face to baristas who keep the company running and profitable. In the midst of rising costs and unfair treatment by major corporations, it is necessary to stand with Blue Bottle Coffee baristas in their fight for better treatment. To make a donation, here is a link to the BBIU union. To keep up with their activities, follow the BBIU Instagram. To show support for workers, here is a petition to sign.
by Alyssa Gamino
Action Steps
1. Write to your senators to fight for the PRO Act. Click here
Additional Materials
1. Read about Blue Bottle Coffee workers fight for a living wage here
2. Read about Trader Joe’s grocery workers unionizing here
3.Read about the previous fight against Amazon here
4. Read about the fight for $15 wages here
5. Read about Amazon Labor Unions here
6. Read about Amazon Union in New York here
7. Read about Trader Joe Unions here
8.Read about Whole Food’s First Union here