Photo by Sam Troung
Last week, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that, in an effort to increase transparency and solidarity among café workers, Philly baristas are sharing their salaries and benefits in a shared spreadsheet. The idea was inspired by a similar endeavor for museum workers, which launched over the summer.
In the days since news of this spreadsheet broke, the list, which reflects baristas from more than 60 cafés in the Philadelphia area, has nearly doubled. Baristas can contribute to the spreadsheet by filling out their information here.
The idea is quickly spreading throughout the country. Seattle-based organization Coffee at Large has created a similar spreadsheet, while in Ohio, Bitchy Baristas has launched a survey for workers in the Greater Cincinnati area. As of this writing, the New England and western New York communities have also released surveys to anonymously gather wage data.
