FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

MAY 1, 2025

PRESS CONTACT

Wwestlake@rrjb.org

UNCOMMON GROUNDS SARATOGA WORKERS WIN UNION ELECTION

Workers at the Flagship Saratoga Springs Cafe are the First Store to Successfully Organize

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – Workers at the Uncommon Grounds cafe in Saratoga Springs are celebrating International Workers’ Day with a major victory: winning their union election. On April 30, nearly 40 employees at the Broadway location voted, with the end result being in favor of unionizing, with a final tally of 21 to 18.

“Despite all of the hardships that we have faced leading up to this day, our solidarity is stronger than ever. I am honored to be here today, having played a part in organizing our store. Without the sheer bravery and determination that my coworkers had, our union campaign could not have gone anywhere! I want to thank them and our wonderful community for playing a part and supporting this campaign.” - Michael Erskin

“Both on the floor and behind the bar, Uncommon is a home to so very many, and this isn’t something that will ever change. With our union, I believe we will build upon that and continue to curate this space into something that is truly for everyone.” - Kieran Thomas

The election win comes despite a vigorous anti-union campaign led by Uncommon Grounds’ new ownership. The company hired Bond Schoeneck & King, a New York law firm known for union avoidance, to spearhead efforts to dissuade workers from organizing. 

Mike Hoover acquired Uncommon Grounds from its original founder nearly five years ago and is not the company's original owner.

Now that the union effort has succeeded, workers are calling on Uncommon Grounds management to respect their decision and begin good-faith negotiations. Their priorities for a first contract include transparent pay scales, clear promotion guidelines, and improvements to equipment and food safety. During the anti-union campaign, management claimed contract talks could drag on for over a year. Workers are urging the company to change course and engage in prompt and respectful bargaining.

“Now we can truly hold management accountable for the promises they made during their union-busting campaign.” - Mandy Ennis

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