Cambridge brewery workers plan to unionize, file for election

"Workers at two Lamplighter Brewing Co. locations in Cambridge filed for a union election Wednesday, the union announced. The employees filed with United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1445 (UFCW), which represents Massachusetts workers in industries including retail, grocery, and food processing, the union said in a statement. "We're thrilled to support workers from Lamplighter and look forward to welcoming them into the UFCW family and the 11,000 workers represented by UFCW Local 1445," Fernando Lemus, the union's president, said in the statement."

"Owen Murray and Ryan McFarland, two bartenders at Lamplighter's Broadway location, both expressed their love for the brewery but emphasized that unionizing was a necessary step for workers. "We all really enjoy working at Lamplighter, but we know that the brewery industry is changing and evolving," Murray said in the statement. "We want to make sure our perspectives are heard and taken into account as we all move forward together.""

Employees at two Lamplighter Brewing Co. locations in Cambridge filed for a union election with United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1445. UFCW Local 1445 represents Massachusetts workers in industries including retail, grocery, and food processing and represents about 11,000 workers. Lamplighter operates two taprooms at 284 Broadway and 110 North First St.; the Broadway taproom opened in 2016 with an in-house cafe and the second opened in 2022. Bartenders Owen Murray and Ryan McFarland said they enjoy working at Lamplighter but view unionizing as necessary to secure a voice on the job and greater consistency. Lamplighter Brewing Co. did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Read at Boston.com