Sunergos coffee in Louisville deals with labor unrest as baristas protest on Black Friday

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Louisville coffee shop is the latest to have workers walk out on strike.

Union baristas at Sunergos Coffee on Willis Avenue in St. Matthews stopped working on Black Friday to protest what they said was the company's "intimidation and harassment" of union members.

Clove Harrington, who is a barista on the union negotiation committee, was among the protesters on Friday.

“We are fighting for higher wages, fair treatment at work.. we have been negotiating a contract for almost nine months now, and we are still not close to coming to a conclusion on it," Harrington said.

In January 2023, Sunergos workers voted to form a union with 32BJ SEIU. The baristas join a national movement of employees at coffee shops and stores that have formed unions to negotiate for better job standards in the industry.

Founded in 2003 by Matthew Huested and Brian Miller, Sunergos has a roastery at its flagship location on Woodlawn Avenue in south Louisville's Beechmont neighborhood. Sunergos has five locations in Louisville that employ 63 people.

In June, Sunergos workers in Louisville went on strike to protest the company's refusal to negotiate contract agreements. Last Monday, the union said it filed another unfair labor practice charge against Sunergos over negotiations.

On Nov. 16, workers at five Louisville area Starbucks either refused to show up for work or walked out on "Red Cup Day," one of the chain's busiest days.

At least 363 company-operated Starbucks stores in 41 states have voted to unionize since late 2021. Louisville's Baxter Avenue location was the latest to join the union, and the fourth in metro Louisville to vote to unionize. The Clarksville location was the first in Indiana to unionize.

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