Baristas At Quills Coffee Successfully Unionize, Receiving Voluntary Recognition From Company Amid Landslide Vote – CoffeeTalk

Baristas at Quills Coffee in downtown Indianapolis have successfully unionized with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) branch 32BJ, receiving voluntary recognition from the Louisville-based company. The unionization vote was passed by an overwhelming majority, marking a significant development in workers’ rights within the coffee industry. This new union aligns the Indianapolis baristas with their colleagues at other Quills locations who unionized in the summer of 2024.

As a result of joining 32BJ SEIU, the Indianapolis baristas have secured a contract that includes a minimum hourly wage of $11.50 for baristas and $13.50 for lead baristas. Additionally, the contract stipulates $2.50 per hour wage increases for baristas in their second year of employment, in contrast to Indiana’s current minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Other contract benefits include four weeks of paid family leave, increased break times, bereavement leave, and time-and-a-half pay for overtime and holiday work, reflecting a robust improvement in working conditions.

Lead barista Fern Thompson highlighted the importance of coworker solidarity in the decision to unionize, emphasizing the bond shared among the coffee shop workers. Quills founder Nathan Quillo previously expressed appreciation for the positive approach to unionization seen in their Louisville locations. This sentiment was echoed by Quills’ Director of Operations, Bryan Beach, who viewed the unionization as a step toward better harmony within the company.

The move follows a broader trend of coffee shop workers, notably those at Starbucks, seeking to improve their wages and benefits to ensure livable working conditions. The contract for Quills baristas also includes provisions for minimum staffing during peak hours, which resonates with concerns raised during a recent strike by unionized Starbucks workers in Indianapolis. In response, Starbucks has claimed to offer competitive pay and benefits, reportedly averaging $30 per hour for their hourly workers, which they argue supports their working conditions.

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