LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- More than a dozen Heine Brothers' Coffee workers gathered in front of the chain's downtown Louisville location Friday afternoon to rally in support of their plan to unionize.
Baristas carried signs bearing slogans such as, "Unionize? Just brew it!" "After 3 years, don't I deserve health care?" and "A union is brewing & it started with a drip."
"We, the workers, need to be respected and listened to when it comes to the daily operations of our stores," said Aaron Bone, an employee.
According to a news release, employees are demanding living wages and lifesaving benefits, including paid sick days, affordable healthcare, minimum staffing requirements and COVID-19 safety protections.
"I make $9.25 an hour and this is no way a living wage and I have to work two to three other jobs just to make ends meet," said Noa August, an employee at the Douglass Loop location.
The baristas were joined by Kentucky Rep. Keturah Herron, Rev. Dwain Lee of Springdale Church and members of the National Conference of Firemen & Oilers.
"We are ready to stand with you in your fight for a better life," said Robert Smith, secretary and treasurer with the National Conference of Firemen & Oilers, SEIU.
Smith said the National Conference of Firemen & Oilers already represents more than 40 companies in Louisville.
"Here in Louisville, we need Heine Brothers' to live up to their progressive image," he said.
August, who uses the pronouns they/them, said they choose to stay with the company because of their co-workers.
"I love the people that I work with," they said. "When I tell you the other baristas I work with are family, they are family."
When asked about an hourly wage increase, August said they're not sure on an exact number, but would like to see the price rise.
"What's important to me is that we're being paid more than we are now, especially with all the stress we deal with on a daily basis," they said.
A statement from Heine Brothers' reads:
"We have been told some Heine Brothers baristas have expressed an interest in forming a union. While we respect our employees’ right to organize, we believe that, as a locally owned and operated company, Heine Brothers is well positioned to address the ideas and concerns of our employees without the involvement of a union. From what we have heard, union proponents are already misinforming other baristas and the public. For instance, we understand they have erroneously claimed some Heine Brothers employees are paid $9 per hour, which is far less than any of our employees are paid. We have always worked to keep our company and stores healthy and positive places to work, where all are treated with respect and dignity, and we remain committed to these core values."
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