Baristas at Coffee Tree Roasters vote to unionize in Allegheny County

Baristas and employees of local coffee chain Coffee Tree Roasters voted to unionize Tuesday.

Workers at five coffee shops across Allegheny County voted to join Local 1776 of the United Food and Commercial Workers labor union, according to UFCW Local 1776 President Wendell Young.

“This is a great win for these workers and their families and now they are part of our family of 35,000 workers,” Young said in a release. “They stood tall and have remained firm in their commitment to join our union throughout what was a grueling process.”

The vote covers 54 workers at all five Coffee Tree Roasters locations. Coffee Tree locations include Shadyside, Squirrel Hill, Pleasant Hills, Fox Chapel, and Mt. Lebanon.

Coffee Tree Roasters workers announced their intent to unionize on Dec. 22. After one of the baristas said he was fired for joining the union effort, Coffee Tree workers obtained support from several union leaders and Democratic officials in the Pittsburgh area.

Workers voted in favor of unionizing by a 17-3 margin. Another nine ballots were challenged by Coffee Tree management. Young said the vote still must be certified by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which could take a week or longer.

BREAKING: We just won our election! We had our vote count today at 1 PM, and the final tally was 17-3. We are so thankful for your support - we could not have done this without you! #BetterCoffeeTree pic.twitter.com/e2jRaYjzDJ

— Coffee Tree Union (@coffeetreeunion) February 22, 2022

During the unionization effort, Coffee Tree workers requested guaranteed meal and rest breaks, open communication with management, paid sick time, and the ability to receive tips electronically. According to a release, workers said they look forward to negotiating for better pay and improved working conditions.

Helene Tracey, a barista at Coffee Tree Roasters in Shadyside, hopes the workers’ win will motivate other baristas to join unions.

“Our hard work since August has helped us win our election, and I hope this inspires other baristas to fight for better in their own workplaces,” Tracey said. “We are ready to collaborate with Coffee Tree to create a coffee shop that works for us and our community.”

A successful union vote for Coffee Tree workers comes on the heels of news that Pittsburgh baristas at Starbucks are also seeking a union. Workers at the Bloomfield Starbucks on Liberty Avenue filed to unionize on Feb. 11, becoming the first Starbucks workers in the Pittsburgh region to do so.