Cheers erupted among workers at Three Brothers Coffee in Nashville Friday, when it was announced they’d won their vote to unionize.
The vote came days after the National Labor Relations Board certified the results of a union vote at a Knoxville Starbucks. That became the first unionized location in the Southeast. Campaigns are also underway at other Starbucks locations in Knoxville, Murfreesboro and Memphis.
Employees and labor organizers clapped and clanged milk pitchers together in celebration. Worker Charley James cast a yes ballot.
“It’s been great going through this process with my coworkers and knowing them on a deeper level like that. Knowing that we have this shared basis together, that we have each others’ backs,” they said. “But now we’ll be able to impact our day-to-day lives in a material way.”
A handful of pro-union community members picketed in front of Three Brothers while the votes were being tallied. Among them was Mina Shedd, who said, “The South is often maligned as a place where unions can’t grow, and there’s been a lot fight against workers organizing and things like that, but I believe the South can be as union-dense as anywhere else in the world.”
After a 5-2 vote in favor of organizing, workers and management will now enter negotiations.
“Like just about anybody else, we’re looking for, you know, better pay, security with that pay, health care options, paid time off,” James said “But we’re also looking for reorganization of structure in the sense of distributing power.”
James said the union would also like to bargain for better communication with management and more of a seat at the table.
Three Brothers owner TJ Wilt did not voluntarily recognize the union, but said he was not against it. In a statement to WPLN News he wrote that he “wanted to make sure everyone had their fair and equal opportunity to have their voice heard.”
Mina Shedd, right, was among the demonstrators in support of the union effort Friday.
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