'Gorilla' warfare as entire staff quits Fifth Ave coffee bar
Entire staff quits Gorilla Coffee
By Kristen V. Brown
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| Courier-Life Publications |
A coffee war erupted over the weekend when employees at Park Slope’s beloved Gorilla Coffee staged a walkout, leaving java lovers jonesing for a caffeine fix — and the owners scrambling to find new baristas.
On Friday, a longstanding conflict between the staff and one of the business partners came to a head when employees demanded that the partner, Carol McLaughlin, be removed from day-to-day operations at the Fifth Avenue coffee bar.
Many longstanding issues have “repeatedly been brushed aside and ignored,” the workers wrote in a missive. The result, they said, was “a perpetually malicious, hostile, and demeaning work environment” that was “unhealthy” and “unworkable.”
The workers added that the wholesale walkout was not meant as a bargaining chip. Indeed, they have no intention of returning to the coffee bar, which is at Park Place.
Since issuing their broadside, the employees have dodged all press calls.
McLaughlin and co-owner Darleen Scherer have been plotting their next move at their Sunset Park roasting facility, where they’re still cranking out beans for retailers who sell Gorilla blends. Neither would comment, but Scherer said that the pair is “still figuring everything out” and would reopen as soon as possible.
Earlier, however, Scherer told The New York Times that the employees had made “an unreasonable request, and then they didn’t have any way to go but out.”
She added that McLaughlin was often “like a drill sergeant,” but only because training a barista is such a rigorous undertaking.
In a world where Japanese slow drip coffee, manual espresso machines and perfect foam hearts on every latte are now de rigueur, pouring coffee has become more than just your average after-school job, but an artistic exercise that may be a little more than the Gorilla coffee employees signed up for.
Scherer told the Times that they were surprised by the confrontation, but the letter from Gorilla’s employees made it clear that this confrontation was months in the making.
The e-mail stated that several staff members had left in the past few years due to the same undisclosed issues with McLaughlin. When told that McLaughlin was no longer affiliated with the company, some of the departed staff members returned, only for McLaughlin to return to her duties at the coffee shop after six weeks.
Even labor union activists said they’d never seen anything like the mass exodus. Daniel Gross, who is involved with organizing Starbucks workers for the International Workers of the World union, said that it is highly unusual for employees to take such tightly choreographed action over who the boss will be.
And Bill Granfield, president of a union that represents workers in the hospitality industry, said that it’s even more unusual for almost an entire company to quit with no desire to bargain.
“We get it all the time, people coming in and wanting to take action against their supervisors and managers,” said Granfield, of UNITE HERE Local 100. “What we don’t everyday get is 10 people walking off the job for good. That’s a little harder to understand.”
On Friday, a longstanding conflict between the staff and one of the business partners came to a head when employees demanded that the partner, Carol McLaughlin, be removed from day-to-day operations at the Fifth Avenue coffee bar.
Many longstanding issues have “repeatedly been brushed aside and ignored,” the workers wrote in a missive. The result, they said, was “a perpetually malicious, hostile, and demeaning work environment” that was “unhealthy” and “unworkable.”
The workers added that the wholesale walkout was not meant as a bargaining chip. Indeed, they have no intention of returning to the coffee bar, which is at Park Place.
Since issuing their broadside, the employees have dodged all press calls.
McLaughlin and co-owner Darleen Scherer have been plotting their next move at their Sunset Park roasting facility, where they’re still cranking out beans for retailers who sell Gorilla blends. Neither would comment, but Scherer said that the pair is “still figuring everything out” and would reopen as soon as possible.
Earlier, however, Scherer told The New York Times that the employees had made “an unreasonable request, and then they didn’t have any way to go but out.”
She added that McLaughlin was often “like a drill sergeant,” but only because training a barista is such a rigorous undertaking.
In a world where Japanese slow drip coffee, manual espresso machines and perfect foam hearts on every latte are now de rigueur, pouring coffee has become more than just your average after-school job, but an artistic exercise that may be a little more than the Gorilla coffee employees signed up for.
Scherer told the Times that they were surprised by the confrontation, but the letter from Gorilla’s employees made it clear that this confrontation was months in the making.
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Even labor union activists said they’d never seen anything like the mass exodus. Daniel Gross, who is involved with organizing Starbucks workers for the International Workers of the World union, said that it is highly unusual for employees to take such tightly choreographed action over who the boss will be.
And Bill Granfield, president of a union that represents workers in the hospitality industry, said that it’s even more unusual for almost an entire company to quit with no desire to bargain.
“We get it all the time, people coming in and wanting to take action against their supervisors and managers,” said Granfield, of UNITE HERE Local 100. “What we don’t everyday get is 10 people walking off the job for good. That’s a little harder to understand.”
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| In their own words: Here's why the staff quit | Brooklyn’s Stephenson leaving Cincinnati for NBA |
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of yournabe.com.
robin wrote on Apr 13, 2010 1:18 AM:
" just fyi, Gorilla's not at Sackett Street, it's at 5th Ave and Park. Hoping this is handled well and intelligently/respectfully on both sides.. "
shannon wrote on Apr 13, 2010 11:03 AM:
" Seems like Gorilla needs to find a way to wrangle in this McLaughlin. Even if its a difficult job to teach doesn't mean you need to demean and disrespect your workers in the process. You don't have to be a drill sergeant to get people to listen. They can restaff again and again, but until they either make her a silent partner or lose her entirely, the same problem will happen over and over, and eventually they will lose their business entirely. "
Jack wrote on Apr 13, 2010 2:45 PM:
" It actually seems to me that the baristas are a group of spoiled brats. Who in the world are these people to demand to have a say in who owns, or operates their place of business. They had to a choice to quit and they quit. They went into a meeting thinking that they had a right to say that a person who put money time and effort into a business was to be removed. P. Lang had some nerve to say that one is not a partner but a domestic partner. Clearly the individual is more than a partner. It also seems that perhaps when McLaughlin was away, where there may have sunshine and roses, the business itself must have suffered immeasurably because these bullying employees took it upon themselves to run amok. Until you have the money time and effort to put up, maybe you should shut up. Good luck to them in future endeavors. Clear that you will not be working in REAL American workforce anytime soon. Bravo to the owners for not allowing these whiners to run THEIR business. I also hardly think it was a massive walk out. It was 7 people. Get over yourselves. "
Syiad wrote on Apr 13, 2010 5:05 PM:
" From my understanding it was 9 employees and 1 roaster. That is a lot of people to upset. I don't think they were spoiled brats at all. Everytime I came in when it was busy they all seemed like they were trying to do the best the possibly could with a great attitude and a smile as well. I stopped one of them on the street after it all went down and she said, "Our intention was not to quit but to have respect in the work place. They all knew what was expected of their job and enjoyed making coffee. They didn't feel it was necessary for the "partner" to come in on a day to day basis and ridicule everything they did in front of customers." She also said "When the partner was gone on vacation or where ever she was for 5 weeks, the cafe ran a lot smoother and the manager in charge finally got to do what he was hired to do without her micromanaging every little thing. It was the best 5 weeks she had ever worked anywhere and customers noticed the change in attitude of the employees"
It seems to me that the owner made a big mistake in not trying to work things out with these employees. All they wanted was to keep their jobs but come to a reasonable request of having the "partner" work on other projects besides the cafe. I'm pretty sure the staff was capable of everything they were responsible for and kept the store running just fine. I for one will not come back when they reopen and will be telling others not to as well. "
It seems to me that the owner made a big mistake in not trying to work things out with these employees. All they wanted was to keep their jobs but come to a reasonable request of having the "partner" work on other projects besides the cafe. I'm pretty sure the staff was capable of everything they were responsible for and kept the store running just fine. I for one will not come back when they reopen and will be telling others not to as well. "
Jyou wrote on Apr 13, 2010 6:18 PM:
" O this is rather funny to see a whole crew walk out and not even want to come back. They must have a good reason "
Emily wrote on Apr 14, 2010 1:57 AM:
" let's all face it. these unhappy employees were simply miserable people. Since when did we all have to love our jobs. When you put money up to own your own business and move out of mommy or daddy's house, I guess then you get to say which owner is allowed to be around in the day to day running of a business. It is clear that the business must have suffered financially while the "mean" owner was on hiatus. Clearly that was the fun time since the monkeys were running the zoo. Bravo to the owners for not succumbing to a group of spoiled brats whining about a minimum wage job. News flash kiddies, you don't always get your backend kissed. At least not in the real world. Sometimes you may even be reprimanded. Good luck on your next job. I hear they are looking for a few good men in Never Never Land!! "
William wrote on Apr 14, 2010 2:02 AM:
" funny thing is if their only intention was to have respect why are they the ones that contacted the media. seems to me that they were trying to put financial pressure. not very "fair trade" of them to play with people's livliehood. tsk tsk. Hey Syiad why the constant reference to "partner" in quotes. What the heck is that implication. you are clearly privvy to unrelated information and are trying to take a completely different spin. I absolutely find that very disrespectful. No wonder you are friends with these FORMER employees and would take up for them.. Maybe yu should try not to be quite so transparent "
Tim wrote on Apr 14, 2010 7:59 AM:
" The baristas might now find out what a real job is like. Everyone has had a bad boss and most have dealt with it. Verbal abuse? Oh poor babies - could you be any more spoiled. Unless we were talking sexual or physical abuse, its hard to stomach such theatrics. Maybe the baristas could head over to thailand and work in a sweatshop for a couple of days. "
Tim wrote on Apr 14, 2010 8:04 AM:
" "It seems to me that the owner made a big mistake in not trying to work things out with these employees. All they wanted was to keep their jobs but come to a reasonable request of having the "partner" work on other projects besides the cafe."
Are you friggin kidding me? Um, when the employees, actually put up money and sweat equity into a business, then they have a say. My guess is none of them have ever had to work through the stresses and pressures that an owner has to do in order to pay their paychecks every week. Until that time, the baristas are idiots to think they have any say at all in which owner can and can not participate in the business. "
Are you friggin kidding me? Um, when the employees, actually put up money and sweat equity into a business, then they have a say. My guess is none of them have ever had to work through the stresses and pressures that an owner has to do in order to pay their paychecks every week. Until that time, the baristas are idiots to think they have any say at all in which owner can and can not participate in the business. "
Ross wrote on Apr 14, 2010 9:27 AM:
" Goes to show you that at the end of the day, the workers do make the rules. You can claim that the workers are a bunch of "spoiled brats" and because the owners "own" the business, they have the right to be verablly abusive --- but it seems to me that the store is closed at the moment and losing money everyday its not open. So, yes, the workers do have a say in how a business is operated. And I am willing to bet that when it does reopen, there will probably be a change in the attitude of the owners towards the employees. "
nabe ear wrote on Apr 14, 2010 11:35 AM:
" just an fyi- the "partner" was NOT on hiatus. the owner, Darleen FIRED her and told the whole staff the "things will be different, better.. "
Allyson wrote on Apr 15, 2010 1:59 AM:
" Nabe ear Since you are clearly one of the employees, I think it is also clear that the business must have suffered in McLaughlin's absence and she was needed back. Maybe thing being different, better meant the employees would not be held accountable-I guess getting the bills paid including paychecks may have overidden the Pollyanna desire. Now it looks as though you QUIT because you were unhappy which is your right as an american and it is time to move on. Should there be a change in attitude?-abolutely. I don't think being an owner gives you the right to be abusive in any manner and your ultimate goal should be a pleasant place to work. But as employees we also have a responsibility to do the best job possible. I have been going there for a long time and appreciate the passion and risk that these two took on an up and coming neighborhood. Keep it up Park Slope and you too can have a Wa Wa on every corner. The staff was shabby looking, the place was dirty, I was there, not too long ago when one barista had clearly not gone home from the night before because you could smell the party-Is it really unreasonable to not want that in your business establishment.? "
Grace wrote on Apr 15, 2010 2:02 AM:
" It would be really nice to hear what really happened I hardly think 7 ppl is en masse Ridiculous good thing mommy and daddy are paying your bills There were still several employees still working there It was not the whole staff Maybe the facts should be checked before the story is sent out "
Luce wrote on Apr 16, 2010 11:03 AM:
" It's funny to see the same people (obviously Carol, Darleen, or both) posting the same foolish comment over and over about how the "business suffered in McLaughlin's absence." I've been a daily Gorilla customer for years, and at no time was there any appreciable drop off in the performance of the baristas recently - until I stopped by last Saturday morning and found the gates down. I'm familiar with the problem partner (Carol) and have seen her verbally abuse the staff repeatedly. She was an embarrassment to the owner, the employees, and the customers, and she should have been removed from the situation for everyone's benefit (including her own). It's idiotic to state that verbal abuse is somehow part of the workplace and that those who don't want to tolerate it are "spoiled brats." What seems clear to me is that the real owner (Darleen) doesn't know how to compartmentalize her business and personal lives, and has allowed one to dictate terms to the other, to the detriment of both. Never mix business and pleasure, folks - it clouds your judgement. And when 7 ppl is 100% of your shop staff and you have to close down, yeah, I'd say that qualifies as en masse. "
Liz wrote on Jul 1, 2010 3:03 PM:
" Just found this article and found it very interesting. I wonder how the business is doing now. I cannot imagine this owner had enough time to get all the therapy she clearly needs. I guess the owners are not the type of people who need people. I guess this has lead to many sleepless nights. Pretty incredible. Park Slope must be so proud to continue to support this establishment where abuse is not only tolerated but it is condoned. Wonder how these two manage their other interpersonal relationships!!! "
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p.lang wrote on Apr 13, 2010 12:31 AM:
It seems as if the employees did try to work things out with their employer but their employer refused their requests. Also, if it is true that this problem has been perpetual, a kind of cycle, and the employees have no say in who their boss is, what is left then? They chose to remove themselves from the cycle and find other jobs.
What is "harder to understand?"
They don't seem to be fighting for money, vacation time, or something tangible. They were asking for respect and that is something that cannot be legislated or enforced by a contract.
It seems that if there are several owners of a company, and one is being detrimental to the growth of the company that person should perhaps become a silent partner. If this has been a problem for years as it it seems it has, why did they not opt for that? Also, there are other blogs that point to the fact that Gorilla Coffee is owned by one person, the person they demanded not be involved in the company is the owners domestic partner, not business partner.
And as a final point, in reality, the employees are baristas. They are not working there after rigorous years of school and this is probably not their career path. Most of them are probably college students working in the food industry. They don't seem to worried about finding another barista, food server or customer service job. should they be? "