(Photo courtesy of Steven O’Hara). “Coffe and Cotton employees striking outside of Mill No.5.”
Eric Schultz, Lydia Robert and Connor Malito
Connector Contributors
On October 4th, Coffee and Cotton employees walked out to protest the working conditions and managerial mistreatment. For the residents of Lowell and surrounding towns, Coffee and Cotton is a beloved establishment in Lowell’s own Mill No. 5 that serves various hot drinks and dishes made from locally sourced ingredients. Although it had been brewing for some time, the strike officially began when shift lead, Barnard Krouch, was fired by Mill No. 5 Director of Operations Claire Folsom. Krouch requested a meeting with Folsom, wherein he would speak on behalf of the staff to address longstanding issues to resolve the situation. However, Krouch was promptly fired by Folsom. He recounted the meeting by saying that “Instead of talking about [the issues], which is how she replied and gave me the implication that we were going to have a conversation and compromise, she just fired me.”
Coffee and Cotton had three specific demands to Mill No. 5 management: the reinstatement of Krouch and another employee who walked out in solidarity; the role Mill No. 5 management took in Coffee and Cotton’s day-to-day operations to be lessened; and for the expedition of sexual harassment claims into a manager.
This second demand stemmed from the frustration that Coffee and Cotton employees felt regarding Claire Folsom’s frequent presence in their establishment. As Krouch put it, “If you are the director of operations for an entire mill, you should be giving equal focus to the entirety of the mill.”
The sensitivity of the third demand was a source of hesitation among Coffee and Cotton employees about making their demands public. According to one anonymous employee, they were promised that the investigation would consist of individual interviews that never came. Plus, the conflict of interest further complicated this already sensitive topic. Coffee and Cotton employees have observed a friendship between upper management and the manager being investigated, which they fear will only insulate this manager.
On October 7, Coffee and Cotton employees took to the streets and struck together with signs advocating their cause. The current workforce coming together in support of a common cause was powerful enough on its own, but they were not the only ones who attended the picket lines. Previous Coffee and Cotton employees also attended the picket lines to show their support, indicating that the issues of current employees had been long-standing. Even then, the strikers were not just limited to current and former Coffee and Cotton staff, as other Lowell organizations that have long supported the labor movement arrived in support. Members of the recently established NABET-CWA Local 18 Broadcasting Union showed up in solidarity, as well as members of the leftist housing mutual aid group, LLAMA. Support for the strike went farther than the picket lines as well; the UMass Lowell Philosophy Department canceled their planned “Philosophy and Film” series at the Luna Theater in a show of solidarity.
Samantha Kiabelli, Coffee and Cotton’s general manager left her job amidst the strike after being given an ultimatum. According to Krouch, Mill No.5’s owner Jim Lichoulas told Kiabelli that he “couldn’t see a way forward with this staff if you, Samantha, also don’t come back.” Left with this decision, Kiabelli quit that Saturday. Because of this, the strikers were left wondering if they were going to be hired back and their employment status remained in limbo. A conversation with Lichoulas and Folsom was eventually started surrounding this topic, and according to Cotton and Coffee employee Jack Draper the strikers were welcomed back and began “bargaining a reemployment offer in writing for the terminated employees.”
To hear all sides of the story, contact with Jim Lichoulas and Claire Folsom was attempted through both email and the Mill No. 5 website. They were asked about the causes of the strike, their comment on the demands made, and the plans taken to resolve the conflict. In the meantime, upper management attempted to keep Coffee and Cotton open. According to employees and anonymous witness corroboration, employees from other Mil No. 5 shops like the Luna Theatre or One Urban Tribe were hired by Folsom to work for Coffee and Cotton while the workers walked out and went on strike. One of these new employees, local photographer T.G. Harris, would later join the picket line and quit the job upon finding out about the strike, having only been hired with the information that there was a “managerial dispute.” More workers were hired but their identity and whether they were from other businesses in the mill remains unknown.
Fortunately, the strike came to an end on October 12. In a statement, shift lead Rachael Hettinger said, “I am so happy to share that due to the incredible resilience of this team. Each of our three demands was met and we will be returning to work on Saturday, October 14. I hope our experience shows others that people are powerful and that they deserve to be treated with respect and kindness not only at work but in every aspect of their lives. It is incredible what can be done when you utilize the power of a close-knit community.” All terminated employees were reinstated, a general manager for Coffee and Cotton will be hired as soon as possible to minimize upper management’s presence and the investigation will be prioritized.
Now, Coffee and Cotton employees are excited for their establishment’s reopening on October 14. They had never wanted to strike in the first place, but they believed that they were left with no other choice. As Hettinger’s statement said, this powerful combination of community and dedication propelled Coffee and Cotton employees to success in their demands being met. With the strike ending, Coffee and Cotton employees have joined a long and rich history of Lowell’s labor victories and proved that it is still possible to fight for the treatment one believes one deserves as a worker and win.
