To students, such as Nathan Long, unions can be the difference between comfortably paying rent and barely getting by. Long, a musical theater junior, works at the French Truck Coffee located in the French Quarter, which recently unanimously voted to unionize.
Long said that the need for unionization became clear this past summer, when a decrease in business led to shorter shifts and lower tips.
He began working in the French Quarter this past May, and quickly saw the downfalls of working in a tourism reliant business during the off season.
The summer is typically not New Orleans’ busy season, Long said. And, for workers dependent on tips, this can make a big difference in overall earnings.
“When you take away a chunk of the tips that were coming in, you’re left with something that’s not really sustainable,” Long said. He added that unionization offers greater wage stability to people who need it.
Long said that he likely would not have continued working at this location, if not for the relationship he has formed with his co-workers. And, although making the decision to organize is intimidating, it is worth it.
A local chapter of the Teamsters union helped with these efforts, according to a report by Verite News.
This report also highlighted that many employees at the French Quarter location hope that other locations will follow suit and join unionization efforts.
A union representative for French Truck Coffee could not be reached for comment.
