Capital Region coffee drinkers have been going to Uncommon Grounds for their caffeine fix since the first location opened in Saratoga Springs more than three decades ago. Now, coffee chain employees in the Spa City and in Clifton Park are trying to unionize.
Inside Uncommon Grounds on Broadway in Saratoga Springs, a steady stream of customers is ordering coffee and bagels to-go. At tables and comfy furniture, regulars read or click on their laptops.
Outside, however, it’s a different story.
“It’s such a wonderful place to work. Not solely because of the job itself, but because of the people I work with, because of my coworkers, and because of the community that we hand-crafted there,” said Michael Erskin.
Michael Erskin has been working at Uncommon Grounds for a little over a year. He’s standing in front of the store on a rainy Thursday with his coworkers, union representatives, and community members, all showing solidarity for a new unionization effort.
“Any union campaign, no matter from what time, what year, has always relied on public support and the community that backs it. And the Capital District has always been a union district,” said Erskin.
Employees at the Clifton Park and Saratoga Springs locations filed for union elections at the end of March. They are organizing though a regional chapter of Workers United.
Representative Casey Moore is helping organize the union push.
“I was actually a part of the first effort to organize Starbucks in Buffalo. And we started with three stores and there’s now 500 plus across the country. So, I’m not going to speak for workers at other stores or anything like that, but I think the workers at these stores that I’ve been working with, you know, they want to be a part of the company’s growth and have a say now as it continues to expand and become a larger company. And I think Uncommon Grounds will be better for it – listening to your workers, hearing their ideas, and hearing how to improve the store for both workers and customers is only going to benefit the company in the long term,” said Moore.
Workers say they want better health and safety policies, upgraded equipment, and fair wages.
There are roughly 80 employees across the Saratoga Springs and Clifton Park locations.
MJ Miller works at the Saratoga Springs location.
“I think health and safety is a lot of it, but also, I think just making sure everyone’s voices are heard, making sure that we feel solidarity with each other is important. Accountability is big, like we were just talking, knowing that there is an open-door policy already, it’s important that we feel as though there’s follow through when that happens,” said Miller.
Olivia Michelin has worked at Uncommon Grounds for two years. She says a union is a long time coming.
“Yeah we do—we have a comfortable majority at the moment, we’re very confident in that. Ultimately, it’s little things that pile up over time, which is to be expected with any business, it’s a tough business. But, ultimately, these things do need to be addressed, there are health and safety concerns involved, we do want to address those head on. And we want to do it collectively, truthfully, honestly, and together,” said Michelin.
In a statement, CEO Michael Hoover said the company is grateful for their “hardworking employees who are passionate about what they do,” highlighted recent across-the-board pay increases as well as Uncommon Grounds’ “robust” benefit package.
Hoover also said they are in the planning phases of a “mini-remodel” of the Saratoga Springs location.
Union elections are expected by the end of April.
