Discourse Coffee Workers Vote to Unionize, Company Voluntarily Recognizes and Begins Bargaining

Twenty-three employees at Discourse Coffee’s Milwaukee locations have unionized under the Milwaukee Area Service and Hospitality Workers Organization, and company leadership voluntarily recognized the new unit after a neutral card count, clearing the way for contract negotiations. WUWM reported that more than 70 percent of employees signed union authorization cards, and the company agreed to forgo an NLRB election and “soon begin negotiations.”

The card count that confirmed authorization cards was conducted by Milwaukee Alderman Bob Bauman, who served as a neutral third party during a meeting at Bauman’s City Hall office, the Journal Sentinel reported. That count took place on Feb. 27 and was documented in photos by Sam Woods of WUWM showing MASH representatives and Discourse employees at the meeting. WUWM’s coverage noted the company “voluntarily recognized the union at the meeting.”

Discourse founder and CEO Ryan Castelaz framed the move as a willingness to negotiate in good faith. Castelaz told the Journal Sentinel, “The important part is that we are together and really coming to the table now in the next steps of the process and talking about those things from a collaborative and mutually beneficial perspective,” and added, “Rather than from an adversarial perspective.” He also said, “Whatever we can do within the sustainable framework of the economic realities of our companies to better support our workforce, it makes sense to me that we would pursue that option. And I hope to see that this union effort continues to spread throughout the city and more groups of employees who feel they have the courage and the strength to stand up and organize.”

The organizing drive places Discourse among a growing list of Milwaukee coffee employers with union activity. The Journal Sentinel listed Anodyne Coffee, Colectivo Coffee Roasters, Fairgrounds Craft Coffee and Tea, and some Milwaukee Starbucks locations as other coffee-sector union efforts, while WUWM said MASH represents recently unionized workers at Anodyne and employees in the Deer District.

Company history reported by local outlets shows Discourse was founded in 2017 in Sister Bay and moved to Milwaukee in 2021. WUWM described Discourse as operating two Milwaukee locations and a residency location in Chicago, while the Journal Sentinel characterized the business as having grown to three Milwaukee locations. Both outlets and company materials indicate only Milwaukee-area employees are included in the newly recognized bargaining unit.

With voluntary recognition secured and the Feb. 27 card count confirming the 23 workers, management and MASH are positioned to begin bargaining for a first contract. Discourse leadership publicly acknowledged the result and signaled a collaborative approach, and both sides have indicated negotiations are the next step, with timing and bargaining priorities to be determined.