SAN DIEGO — Workers at the Hillcrest location of Better Buzz Coffee are officially unionized with the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 135.
Better Buzz is one of the largest local coffee chains in San Diego County and continues to grow. There are more than 20 locations in Southern California and new branches are opening in Arizona.
Employees filed a petition in April to kickstart the process. Baristas, trainers and shift supervisors called for better wages and working conditions as the cost of living continues to rise in San Diego.
A statement sent out Friday by UFCW Local 135 reps called the vote an "important victory."
"This worker victory marks the culmination of a determined effort by the employees, who organized under the name Better Buzz United," the statement reads. "The workers cited concerns about wages, benefits, scheduling, and overall workplace safety as primary reasons for seeking union representation."
Barista Katy Waldman says it hasn't been easy to get here.
"This has been a hard fight but I’m so proud of our coworkers for showing up for what they believe in," she said. "Life’s better unionized!"
Union organizers say Hillcrest is the first location to unionize — but they plan to expand the movement to other branches.
“Never underestimate the power a group of workers wield when they fight for what they deserve," said UFCW Local 135 Lead Organizer Andres Pinzon. "This is a win not only for them but for baristas and workers everywhere. I'm proud of the Hillcrest team for leading the way!”
CBS 8 spoke with Waldman, along with baristas Jackson Ducksworth and Ben Leighton last month.
Leighton said they love their customers and their coworkers — but don't receive the same feeling from their corporate managers.
"We are not getting the same treatment that we deserve from management, Leighton said. We feel like we are being ignored."
Waldman said in April they're also fighting for more predictable hours and scheduling.
"We have nothing," she said. "We get paid minimum wage, we have zero benefits, and we only have the time off that is required by the State of California."
This effort follows the recent hike in minimum wage for California's fast food workers. The baristas currently make the City of San Diego's minimum wage which is $16.85 per hour.
Waldman says it's not enough to live off of in one of the most expensive cities in the country.
"Nobody even working full-time hours — which nobody gets at Better Buzz — can pay for a one-bedroom apartment at all with that wage."
For more information about Better Buzz unionizing efforts, head to Better Buzz United's Instagram page. The next step is working on a bargaining contract to present to Better Buzz leadership.
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