Updates
May 27 2024
Java Blend employees have won their union. After a settlement was reached yesterday, ballots cast a year ago in a vote to unionize were finally counted this morning β and 90% of workers voted to join SEIU Local 2.
What's Next
WHEN WE FIGHT, WE WIN! π We are thrilled to tell you we have a settlement with Java Blend! Ballots were counted and 90% voted to join SEIU Local 2!
We are incredibly excited. This is what the settlement means:
- First, we are calling for an end to the boycott! βοΈ We hope you will visit to grab a coffee and say “Hi!”
- We have an agreement in place to start recalling terminated employees.
- Union wins a city-wide bargaining unit that includes Cortado, Coastal and Java Blend cafes.
- Weβve agreed that over the next four weeks, we will start good-faith bargaining to win the best possible collective agreement.
Halifax, we have felt your support for us from day one. Thank you for your solidarity! This is a massive win for our community! πππ
Voices
βOne of the reasons we felt courageous enough to speak out and defend our rights is because of union support. Java Blend will say they are facing mounting debt, but from my perspective, [thatβs] inconsistent with terminating staff at its most lucrative cafe on North St.β
βCailen Pygott
Cailen had been working at Java Blend since June 2017. He was a barista supervisor and one of the four Union leaders that was fired in January.
To know that we have the communityβs support in our fight for workersβ rights is truly amazing to see. As employees of Java Blend we have continuously done our best to serve our surrounding community, so it is an honour for you all to return that service to us.
βEmma Cooper
Coop had been working at Java Blend since April 2021. They were a barista supervisor and one of the four Union leaders that was fired in January.
βForming a Union was important because I deeply care about the well-being of my co-workers in the workplace. Over the four years Iβve worked there, I witnessed a lot of change in the company such as unfair scheduling and hours being cut.Β We knew that forming a Union was the only way we could do something about these issues.β
βAndrew Mawko
Andy had been working at Java Blend since December 2019. He was a barista and one of the four Union leaders that was fired in January.
βAs a person living with disability, I value health and safety in my workplace above all. After seeing countless hazards go ignored by management despite employees continuously bringing them to attention and watching our health and safety committee slowly dissolve with positions left vacant for months despite having plenty of volunteers. We mobilised to form a union that would support our health and safety needs.β
βEmily Kristensen
Em K had been working at Java Blend since October 2022. She was a barista supervisor and one of the four Union leaders that was fired in January.
TAKE ACTION!
Boycott Java Blend cafΓ©s, businesses and its products including: Cortado Tasting Room (Bedford), Java Blend Downtown (Sackville St), Java Blend North St, Coastal Wholesale, Java Blend roasting and coffee beans.
Talk or write to cafΓ© or business-owners to tell them to stop their accounts with Java Blend until they settle a collective-agreement for workers.
Donate to the terminated workers, some of whom are facing continued financial ramifications from the sudden illegal terminations.
Community is welcome to join us on the picket line. Want more information? Contact Tina atΒ toh@seiulocal2.ca
Background
Workers at Java Blend Coffee Limited began organizing a Union at the workplace in early 2023. Java Blend is a roasting production and retail business that operates in four locations in the Halifax Regional Municipality including three cafes: Java Blend North Street, Java Blend Sackville Street and Cortado Tasting Room. The Roastery and production outlet is located at 30 Borden Avenue in Dartmouth.
Workers across the Java Blend company cast their votes on June 2, 2023 with the goal of unionizing with SEIU Local 2.
These ballots remain sealed to this day because of delays caused by Java Blendβs objections over which employees should be included in the union.
On January 23, 2024, nine cafΓ© employees, including the four leaders of a union drive, were illegally terminated according to an Unfair Labour Practice complaint.Β
On January 31, SEIU Local 2 filed an unfair labour practice complaint and announced its plans to fight what we believe to be illegal union-busting terminations.
After months of Java Blend ownership objections that are delaying the counting of ballots from the June 2023 Union vote, a boycott of Java Blend and it’s products started on April 28, 2024.
Legal Complaint
The employerβs conduct has all the hallmarks of an orchestrated campaign of retaliation aimed at crushing workersβ rights, according to the legal complaint filed by SEIU Local 2 at the Nova Scotia Labour Board.Β
ULP Overview
The Complainant, Service Employees International Union Local 2, Brewery General and Professional Workersβ Union (βSEIUβ) alleges the Respondent has violated sections 53 and 58 of the Trade Union Act (βthe Actβ) by terminating union organizers in retaliation for organizing a union in their workplace. The Employer has enacted this retaliation under the guise of layoffs required to maintains financial stability. However, in doing so the Employer has terminated only twenty-five percent (25%) of the workforce, but a full one hundred percent (100%) of the Unionβs organizing committee. Furthermore, the impacted workers, who are living paycheck-to paycheck, have been told that they will only receive desperately needed severance if they give up their rights under the Trade Union Act. For the reasons which are further particularized in this complaint, the Employerβs conduct has all the hallmarks of an orchestrated campaign of retaliation aimed at crushing workersβ rights.
As a remedy, the Union will be seeking orders that: all affected workers are reinstated, general and pecuniary damages to the impacted workers and the Union itself, declaratory relief, and that the Boardβs decision be posted in the workplace.
SILENCE NOT FOR SALE!
In addition to their termination, workers were asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement which would give up their right to any legal challenges.
At the termination meeting, βwe were all then presented with a Non-Disclosure Agreement, which, if we had signed, would have provided additional termination pay, but also required us to keep all details confidential,β said Emily Kristensen, one of the terminated worker-leaders. βHowever, our silence is not for sale.β
In the News
- All
- Java Blend (18)
Halifax-based Java Blend, union sign first collective agreement
Java Blend Coffee Roasters and union reach settlement agreement
Former Halifax coffee shop employees hold rally after layoffs
Laid-off workers at Java Blend in Halifax say βour silence is not for saleβ
