Organizing Updates

The Worker Center has supported numerous worker organizing drives since its creation. Here are updates on our recent work:

ResStaff Allied Organization (RAO) at the University of Michgan

The Worker Center supported the rank-and-file organizing of student residential staff (ResStaff) at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor (U-M) during their unionization drive in the 2023-24 academic year.

ResStaff won their union election in August 2024 by an overwhelming margin of 148-8, becoming the first labor union representing undergraduate student workers at U-M. RAO is an independent union and is currently bargaining for a first contract. Find RAO at its Website, Instagram, and Twitter.

Sweetwaters Baristas (IBT)

The Worker Center conducted retail and food service worker listening sessions through 2022 that identified major pay, harassment, and hostile management issues facing workers at Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea locations across the area. Workers at the four corporate owned stores organized through 2023 and filed for a union election with Teamsters Local 243.

In January 2024, the 50+ Sweetwaters baristas won their election 25-19 after enduring an intense union-busting campaign that included cutting shifts, captive audience meetings, a sitting city councilwoman imploring workers to reconsider, and the owners' family members attempting to cast ballots. Their fight for a fair contract to address those same, long-running issues of livable wages and workplace respect continues today. Find Sweetwaters workers on Instagram.