Workers at Minneapolis-based Peace Coffee vote 'overwhelmingly' to unionize

Workers at Minneapolis-based Peace Coffee have voted to unionize.

In a Thursday announcement, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 663 said that 17 Peace Coffee workers had voted “overwhelmingly” to unionize.

Peace Coffee workers announced their intent to join the union in April. The election was certified Thursday after ballots were sent out by mail.

UFCW Local 663 represents around 17,000 workers in retail, food production, manufacturing and healthcare in Iowa and Minnesota. Workers involved with roasting, production, shipping and delivery at Peace Coffee will be represented by the union, according to the announcement.

“Our union welcomes workers at Peace Coffee. UFCW Local 663 is dedicated to improving workers’ lives, workplace by workplace,” said Matthew Utecht, president of UFCW Local 663, in a statement.

“We are the union of essential workers who have each other’s backs. Our union has a place for anyone that wants to build a better life by reaching together for higher wages, benefits and more workplace protections.” 

Peace Coffee launched in Minneapolis in 1996. It later opened four coffee shops in the Twin Cities, though the company decided to close all four permanently in November 2020 due to hardships brought on during the pandemic. 

In a statement, Peace Coffee owner and CEO Lee Wallace said she's "looking forward" to beginning negotiations with the union. 

"This is new ground so we’ll learn as we go and we’ll do our very best to make sure that we continue to act in ways consistent with and supportive of our culture, our shared values, and our shared future," Wallace said.