In the heyday of unionization, unions were representing workers who actually had some skills, workers who could not easily be replaced, because their skills were needed to do their jobs, and it took a long time to develop those skills. Perhaps, just perhaps, pulling a cup of coffee isn’t that difficult a skill to learn?

Well, perhaps being polite is harder to learn than pulling a cup of coffee!

All OCF Coffee House locations close permanently, a week after workers moved to unionize

Ori Feibush, the developer who founded the chain 13 years ago, said the coffee shops were never profitable. He also cited “tens of thousands” of recent costs associated with a push to join a union.

by Michael Klein and Jenn Ladd | Monday, June 10, 2024 | 10:18 PM EDT

Real estate developer Ori Feibush announced the immediate closure of his three OCF Coffee House locations on Monday, a week after OCF workers informed him of their intent to unionize.

Feibush, who met with available staff in person Monday afternoon, called the shutdown a difficult decision, citing rising costs, reduced sales, and the expiration of leases for a business that he said was never profitable during its 13 years.

Now why would sales be reduced? Here you have a Jewish man, Harlan Rosen, walking in to get a cup of coffee, and immediately a keffiyeh-wearing employee starts blasting an antiSemitic song, Hind’s Hall, which I refuse to link here.

I’d also point out that Ori Chiam Feibush has been pretty tolerant. According to Philadelphia Magazine, which doesn’t seem to like the developer very much, Mr Feibush is the “son of two Israeli immigrants,” and “spent all his free time running the Philadelphia chapter of the B’nai B’rith Youth Organization.” It seems that that keffiyeh-wearing antiSemite was still willing to work for and accept money from a Jooooo, and Mr Feibush was willing to keep him on the payroll.

The Keurig coffee machine on our kitchen countertop, with one of my favorite coffee cups. I get my coffee a lot cheaper than having to pay a ‘barista’ to pull it.

”But we pushed forward because we understood the positive impact we were making in our communities and the importance to maintain a level of compensation and benefits … that you each deserved,” he wrote in an email announcing the decision to staff who did not attend Monday’s meetings. Combined with financial and logistical headwinds, however, “the administrative and legal costs associated with your desire to organize has regrettably moved us beyond any cost that we could sustain,” he wrote.

Feibush said about 45 people worked at OCF’s coffee shops — two in South Philadelphia and one in Fairmount. He said that the company would provide workers health, vision, and dental benefits for three months, and that some would receive severance. Feibush said workers had received $20 to $25 an hour in salary and tips, plus benefits.

Will the antiSemitic worker accept those “health, vision, and dental benefits for three months”, and severance if offered?

There’s a lot more at the newspaper’s original, concerning both the union and Mr Feibush’s business.