Last Updated on March 30, 2023, 10:19 PM | Published: March 30, 2023
OKLAHOMA CITY — Kaiser’s Grateful Bean Cafe employees, in midtown at NW 10th and Walker, unionized on March 8th with the support and blessings of their management.
It’s become the only full-service restaurant to unionize in the state of Oklahoma in recent years.
The six workers are unionizing to gain these things:
- Paid vacation.
- Sick leave.
- Insurance (medical, vision, dental).
Cooperative management, owner
Management at Kaiser’s has already helped out their workers. They’ve extended the store’s hours on Fridays and Saturdays to 8pm, and they intend to extend store hours to 9pm during the summer, which boosts the workers’ hours, giving them more pay.
Nicole Paisley, soda fountaineer at Kaiser’s, spoke with Free Press. She said, “Management brought it up to us (unionization), and then we all met, and all decided as a group, the employees, to unionize.” Nicole continued, “Then we said how we needed sick leave, medical and dental insurance, so as a group, pooled our resources to make it happen.”
“We’re working to where we can get paid sick leave, insurance, vision and dental. That’s mainly what we’re working on right now”, she said.
The workers of Kaiser’s Grateful Bean Cafe have unionized as the Kaiser’s Bean Family Union. It’s an independent union without the backing or support of an existing union.
On the extended store hours, Nicole said, “Changing the hours is going to help the business. Workers were all for changing the hours. This summer, we’re open until 9pm. Midtown is an up-and-coming place.”
On the management side, Free Press talked to Alberto Fonseca. He said, “They wanted the union so they can ask for health insurance, dental insurance.”
Owner is all in
Free Press also spoke to Peter Schaffer, the owner of Kaiser’s Grateful Bean. Schaffer is an adoption lawyer of 49 years.
“I have been a member, myself, of two unions,” said Schaffer. “And, … when I was a union member, the unions and the union reps were exceptionally helpful in getting things accomplished. I think it results in a cohesive labor force, which is beneficial both for the individuals that work and for the public. In addition to that, I think it’s good for management.”
“I don’t look upon the union as being the enemy,” said Schaffer. “I look upon the union as being a partner, and if we change, perhaps, the way some management thinks in terms of union as being the enemy, I think it’s good for the relationship with the employees who may not be unionized at that moment with employees who are unionized….”
Schaffer emphasized that he thinks happy staff will yield happy guests.
So, it’s the employees — whether they’re unionized or not — that results in the success, or lack thereof, of a business, in this case a restaurant,” he continued. “In other words, union and management are a team.”
As far as what others in the business (or restaurant?) world thought, he added, “I was speaking with a representative of the Oklahoma Restaurant Association, and she was shocked that management at the Grateful Bean and the owner really considered this a partnership with the union. No, we’re not opposed at all. That’s what makes it a success.”
Growing local union push
This is part of a local movement in Oklahoma City with brands such as Starbucks, and Apple pushing for workers’ rights. The scene in Oklahoma City is itself a part of a much larger movement across the country in unionization efforts.
But, other instances of food service employees unionizing have not been so easy.
Just recently, the National Labor Relations Board ruled against Starbucks for unfair labor practices in three Oklahoma City stores. Their union-busting tactics have been nation-wide.
Alex Gatley covers labor activities in the state of Oklahoma.
