MILWAUKEE – Anodyne workers will mark one year since going public with their union on 414 Day, an unofficial Milwaukee holiday, and call on FairWave, the out-of-state private equity owner of the company, to settle a fair contract.
WHAT: Anodyne workers union 414 Day anniversary, contract campaign rally
WHEN: Tuesday, April 14th – 5:00 pm
WHERE: Anodyne Bruce Street Cafe & Roastery (224 W Bruce St, Milwaukee 53204)
WHO: Anodyne workers union members, supporters
Anodyne workers will speak to the issues that brought them to unionize and how the company has failed to address them, speak to the delays and obstructions in the bargaining process caused by the company, and commemorate the one year anniversary of the union and draw out the contrast on 414 Day between Milwaukee coffee industry workers and an out-of-state private equity firm.
Since Anodyne workers officially won their union last year and started bargaining with their employer the first week of December, the company has failed to propose a reasonable contract settlement. Instead, the company proposed wage cuts and no raises for three years, elimination of any 401(k) plan participation by eligible employees, and elimination of health insurance plan participation by eligible employees, amongst other unacceptable provisions. The company refused even to provide a counter-proposal to the union’s initial proposal from December until March 26th. The company has canceled multiple bargaining dates and refused to negotiate more frequently than once per month (or longer between sessions).
One year ago on 414 Day, the Anodyne workers union, part of MASH (Milwaukee Area Service and Hospitality Workers Union), called on FairWave to recognize and bargain a contract, backed by 100% of employees who had signed union authorization and membership cards. After the company hired a union-busting law firm to fight against workers, Anodyne-FairWave obstructed and delayed in forcing a government-run election in June instead of recognizing the union. Anodyne workers won their union vote with 100% of ballots, despite the aggressive anti-union campaign run by the company. FairWave’s union-busting law firm pursued spurious objections and appeals in order to weaponize the National Labor Relations Board processes, only to lose each time – but successfully delaying any bargaining until December.
FairWave is a private equity-backed specialty coffee industry roll-up, created by Great Range Capital out of Kansas City to acquire local roasting and retailing operations. FairWave acquired Anodyne in 2023 and recently acquired Fiddleheads, another local specialty coffee roaster and retailer.
The Milwaukee Area Service and Hospitality Workers Union represents roughly 1,300 members across more than a dozen worksites.
