Back in February, I published a news article covering the unionization efforts of workers employed by the Calgary business Caffe Rosso Inc., also known as Rosso Coffee Roasters.
That unionization drive was a tough slog, as the employer kept trying to dismantle it through one-on-one meetings and changing work hours of organizers.
Ultimately, the Alberta Labour Relations Board approved the union certification application, a majority of workers voted to join Local 401 of the United Food and Commercial Workers, and the ALRB certified the workers as a bargaining unit in April 2026.
In an update on their website UCFW Local 401 announced that the workers have elected their bargaining committee, which met with reps from Caffe Rosso last week to begin negotiating their first collective agreements.
At that meeting, the two parties exchanged their initial proposals.
Here is the wage offer in Caffe Rosso’s initial proposal.
| Hourly minimum | Hourly minimum | |
|---|---|---|
| Barista | $15.00 | $15.75 |
| Assistant manager | $17.00 | $18.00 |
| Roastery production | $15.25 | $19.00 |
| Warehouse/driver | $17.00 | $20.00 |
They did not propose any wage increases during the length of the contract, which they have yet to define.
In contrast, the workers’ bargaining team have asked for a 2-year collective agreement, with a $3.00 wage increase for all bargaining unit members upon ratification, followed by a 50¢ increase in every subsequent year of the agreement.
Caffe Rosso has requested 9 stat holidays, while the workers have asked for 13,
| Caffe Rosso | Workers |
|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | New Year’s Day |
| Family Day | Family Day |
| Good Friday | Good Friday |
| Easter Monday | |
| Victoria Day | Victoria Day |
| Canada Day | Canada Day |
| Heritage Day | |
| Labour Day | Labour Day |
| National Truth Reconciliation Day | |
| Thanksgiving | Thanksgiving |
| Remembrance Day | Remembrance Day |
| Christmas | Christmas |
| Boxing Day |
According to their proposal, Caffe Rosso wants to restrict stat holiday compensation to “the minimum standards set out in the Alberta Employment Standards Code”.
The workers, however, want double time pay for hours worked on stat holidays. They also want all full-time workers to receive at least 8 hours of pay and part-time workers to receive at least 6 hours worth of pay at their regular pay rates if they are not scheduled to work a stat holiday.
For workers who are not Christian, the bargaining team has proposed allowing them the flexibility of taking off up to 2 days off in lieu of Good Friday and Christmas to observes their own religious holy days.
Workers have asked for their birthday off, too, with pay.
Caffe Rosso has proposed a single break for workers who work for at least 5 hours. It would be for 30 minutes and unpaid; although workers have the option to split it into 2 15-minute breaks, with management approval.
The workers also asked for a 30-minute break, but they want it to be paid and it would be available for those who have worked at least 6 hours. They also want a 15-minute break, which would be paid as well. All breaks would be uninterrupted.
For workers putting in at least 8 hours, the bargaining team has proposed a second 15-minute break. As well, they want an additional 15-minute break for anyone who works at least 2 hours overtime, which can be taken before the overtime starts.
As far as overtime goes, Caffe Rosso wants to pay time and a half for overtime hours, but the workers have asked for double time. Both parties agree on overtime being above 8 hours per day, but Caffe Rosso wants to restrict weekly overtime to 44 hours, while the workers want it to kick in at 40 hours.
Both parties want to allow the banking of overtime hours in lieu of overtime pay, which would allow the workers to take the banked time off in the future. However Caffe Rosso wants it banked at straight time, not time and a half, and the workers want it banked at double time.
The two parties basically agree on the probationary period; although Caffe Rosso specifically asked for 3 months and the workers asked for 90 days.
Caffe Rosso wants to restrict vacation time and vacation pay to the minimum required by the Alberta Employment Standard Code. The workers’ proposal is more robust and depends on length of service with the company.
| Length of service | Length of vacation | Vacation pay (for PT workers) |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1 year | 3 weeks | 6% of annual pay |
| 1–5 years | 4 weeks | 6% of annual pay |
| 5–10 years | 5 weeks | 8% of annual pay |
| 10–20 years | 6 weeks | 10% of annual pay |
| 20+ years | 7 weeks | 12% of annual pay |
Full-time workers would receive pay for a full shift while on vacation, under the workers’ proposal.
The company also wants to restrict job-protected leaves to only those “required by the Alberta Employment Standards Code.
I think it is becoming clear why government regulations are necessary for workplace protections: employers seem intent on getting away with providing as little as possible.
The workers’ bargaining team, once again, proposed leaves that were far more robust.
| Leave | Length |
|---|---|
| Bereavement | 10 days |
| Citizenship ceremony | 1 day |
| Compassionate care | 27 weeks |
| Critical illness leave (child) | 36 weeks |
| Critical illness leave (adult) | 16 weeks |
| Death or disappearance of child (no crime) | 52 weeks |
| Death or disappearance of child (crime) | 104 weeks |
| Domestic violence leave | 10 days |
| Long-term illness or injury | 16 weeks |
| Maternity leave | 16 weeks |
| Adoption/parental leave | 62 weeks |
| Personal & family responsibility | 5 days |
| Reservist | 26 weeks |
| Voting | 3 hours |
| Flex | 3 days |
| Gynaecological health | 12 days |
| Medical appointments | 8 hours |
Caffe Rosso wants to provide workers with only 2 weeks notice in the event of a layoff. The workers are asking for 60 days notice.
As with stat holiday pay, vacation time, and vacation pay, Caffe Rosso wants to restrict severance pay “only to the minimum termination pay outlined in the Alberta Employment Standards Code. The workers, however, want 1 week’s pay for workers who have been with the company for up to 2 years and an additional week of pay for every year after that.
The workers introduced several proposals regarding work clothing. They would like to be reimbursed up to $200 every 2 years for steel-toed boots if they are required to wear them on the job. They also want a $150 annual allowance for winter clothing for those who have to work outside. As well, Caffe Rosso would have to provide uniforms, laundry, and “tools of the trade” to workers free of charge, which would all need to be returned at the end of employment; otherwise the workers would have to pay the employer 50% of the original cost.
Caffe Rosso did not table any proposals regarding clothing.
Workers want 10 paid sick days per year. Caffe Rosso did not introduce a sick day proposal.
The company did not propose any health benefits. The workers’ bargaining team mentioned that they wanted to discuss benefits but did not specify any amounts, other than a $1,500 health spending account for each worker.
Workers want Caffe Rosso to pay 14¢ an hour for each hour worked by each worker to be put into UFCW’s Education, Safety, Health and Training Trust Fund.
Again, these are initial proposals. The final tentative agreement will include some of these proposals, while also compromising on others.
The two parties have scheduled their next bargaining dates for November and December, but they are discussing the possibility of meeting sooner, either later this month or in October.
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[…] If the ALRB approves the application and a majority of workers vote in favour of unionizing, one of their first orders of business would be to form a bargaining committee to begin negotiating their first collective agreement. […]