Bed-Stuy Coffee Shop Wins Ambitious Union Contract

BED-STUY, NY — A Bed-Stuy coffee shop won an ambitious union contract last week after nearly a year of organizing, moving one step closer to cooperative business ownership with shared profits and protections, organizers said.

Workers at Daily Press, located on Somers Street near Rockaway Avenue, petitioned for a union in November 2022.

Nearly a year later, workers secured their first contract outlining a health savings fund and protections against sexual harassment and discrimination, advocates said.

The contract brings workers one step closer to cooperative ownership of the coffeeshop and bar — an ambitious goal not usually outlined in a first contract, according to Leanne Tory-Murphy, a representative of Workers United NY/NJ.

The workers already participate in cooperative operation of the business, deciding collectively on scheduling, wages, vacation and sick time.

"Our contract is unique. We all meet once a month, and per that contract, we make all operational decisions collectively," said bartender Gabriel Caldwell. "The goal is to move towards cooperative ownership."

For workers, the union has made all the difference, according to owner and former bartender Joshua Thies. Thies bought the Ocean Hill shop in 2022, immediately recognizing the union he had been working on as an employee.

"Since the successful unionization, I noticed a significant change in the team. Folks have a voice, autonomy, and the ability to make positive change. They took on a lot of responsibility," Thies said.

Daily Press is the first union of its kind at an independent coffee shop, organizers said. First just a coffeeshop, the location in 2016 expanded to serve alcohol in the evenings and put on community programming, like open mics, trivia and karaoke.

Years later, workers found themselves vulnerable when their then-owner cut shifts and threatened layoffs unexpectedly in 2022 — the catalyst to their efforts, Jacobin reported.