LOUISVILLE, Ky. — In another win for labor organizing in Kentucky, Heine Brothers' coffee workers won their union election with a significant majority Thursday night.

Louisville-area baristas emerged from the consequential vote just before 10 p.m. Thursday with audible excitement. The workers now head to the bargaining table with their employer to negotiate a contract for all Heine Brothers employees.

Workers announced their intent to unionize in April of this year, citing desires for livable wages and fairer schedules. There are 17 Heine Brothers' locations in Louisville and southern Indiana.

“Since we knocked on the union's door six months ago, our goal has always been to organize a better workplace for ourselves and for our coworkers. We love our jobs, and we love each other. That is why we started organizing and that is the strength and unity that won us this union election,” said Sabrina Lindsey, a Heine Brothers' barista.

Organizing with NCFO 32BJ SEIU, the Heine Brothers' Coffee Union becomes the second largest barista union in the U.S.

“Winning this election means so much to all of us who have spent months organizing, talking to our coworkers, and bringing our friends and coworkers together to fight for something bigger than ourselves but that we will all benefit from," said Gami Ray, another Heine Brothers' worker. "We owe so much to the generations of undervalued workers and the union organizers who came before us, and we are honored to carry on this fight in their honor."

Heine Brothers' success could signal promise for other unionization efforts blooming in Louisville. The Courier Journal, Sunergos Coffee, several Starbucks locations and Half-Price Books have also rallied to unionize in recent months.