LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Heine Brothers’ Coffee and its employees have reached a tentative agreement less than a year after employees began efforts to unionize. 

According to NCFO 32BJ SEIU, the Heine Brothers’ Coffee Union, the agreement provides full-time employees an extra week of paid leave, guarantees a fair schedule honoring seniority of full-time and part-time workers, transparency about tips and the split and it increases the base hourly wage for current and future employees. 

The statement from the union said, “We are proud that Heine Brothers’ Coffee chose to partner with us through these negotiations in order to reach an agreement that provides solutions to the problems that drove workers to organize their union.”

Organizing with NCFO 32BJ SEIU, the Heine Brothers’ Coffee Union becomes the second largest barista union in the U.S. Spectrum News 1 has reached out to the union to ask about when the agreement will be presented to employees and when a vote might take place. According to a social media post from the union, employees are being asked to "look out for details via text and email about contract vote." 

Heine Bros. workers announced plans to unionize in April 2022, citing the need for better wages and schedules. There are 17 Heine Brothers’ locations in Louisville and southern Indiana.