ION was specifically formed to help workers build independent, democratic, rank-and-file unions from the ground-up. Our team of volunteer lawyers and organizing mentors can help workers with handling a number of legal, administrative, and strategic challenges that arise when organizing a worker-led independent union. This includes building organizing committees, filing a union election, establishing a recognized independent union, preparing contract bargaining proposals, filing unfair labor practices, and more.

We are currently supporting workers in various stages of union-organizing throughout California, Massachusetts, and New York. Below are some of the public campaigns we work with.

Blue Bottle Independent Union

ION's first worker campaign began in April 2023 with Blue Bottle workers in Boston, Massachusetts. In the early stages, our volunteers provided organizing advice and trainings to help build organizing committees and establish regional communication among stores. We gave trainings on unfair labor practices and prepared workers for union-busting meetings.

As the campaign grew, we helped workers set up a legally recognized union (the Blue Bottle Independent Union, or “BBIU”) and launched the first-ever union campaign in the company’s history with five Boston stores filing for a union election in April 2024. One month later, the region overwhelmingly voted to unionize. Now, workers at BBIU are actively negotiating a collective bargaining agreement. To prepare for bargaining sessions, workers participate in mock-negotiations with ION volunteer-lawyers.

Be on the lookout for more BBIU campaigns, led by workers and backed by ION, throughout the country!

Get Started Organizing Your Workplace!