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SUPPORT THE TERMINATED AND STRIKING WORKERS OF THE BE HIVE PRODUCTION FACILITY
Beginning in the Summer of 2025, The BE Hive went on a hiring spree, onboarding several new production line employees to scale up production with the expressed interest of becoming the “vegan Starbucks.” In the following months, we labored as dedicated workers - new and old - to meet the nearly impossible production goals demanded of us from the owner Ben Stix.
While Ben opened a new restaurant in Austin, TX and hired new salespeople with large salaries in LA and New York, we produced more than ever, and the reward for our exceptional labor was a reduction in hours. Frustrated, we pushed forward hoping that at least wages, PTO, and other benefits would be increased as profits rolled in.
On March 1st, several of us received messages telling us not to return to work the following day. On March 2nd, those same workers were officially laid off due to “sustained reduction in demand.” Several more of us were laid off with a total of 7 out of 15 production workers terminated. Additionally, the severance agreement sent to our terminated coworkers contained a non-disparagement clause and a non-solicitation clause, both of which were ruled unlawful by the NLRB in the McLaren Macomb decision in 2023.
While our team was being picked off one-by-one, the rest of us were told the business was struggling and needed to cut costs, but at the same time, were urged to make up in efficiency what we had just lost in numbers. All said with nearly zero remorse for axing half our friends from the team.
Not convinced the company is failing and frustrated at the prospect of doing twice the work with half the workers, we the remaining workers at The BE Hive have gone on strike in solidarity with our terminated coworkers as of March 3. We have submitted our strike demands and are calling on The BE Hive to meet acceptable terms by March 9.
OUR DEMANDS
FOR TERMINATED WORKERS:
- Reinstatement of all terminated employees who wish to be reinstated
- A full month of severance + unused PTO for employees who do not wish to be reinstated
- Non-disparagement and non-solicitation clauses removed from severance agreements
FOR REMAINING WORKERS:
- Increased base pay with cost of living raises
- Increased PTO from one week to two weeks
- Compensation during no-fault reduction in production hours
- Pay transparency
- Compensation for the strike period at regular pay rate and weekly hours
FOR SUPPORTERS:
- Boycott the Be Hive Delis in Nashville, TN and Austin, TX
- Boycott BE Hive products at all establishments
- Demand Ben and The BE Hive negotiate with the Worker Bee Committee Strike leadership
- Support the strike fund for terminated and striking workers
The terminations of our fellow BE Hive workers come at a time where the cost of living is higher than ever, ICE is terrorizing our communities and the economy domestically and worldwide is increasingly unstable. As a professed vegan company, Ben Stix and The BE Hive have failed to live up to vegan values and honor the lives of its own workers. They should not be allowed to do so without being shamed by their workers, customers, and business partners.
We are asking for an estimated total of $10,000 to support the following terminated or striking workers in financial assistance during the presumed strike period (amount subject to change to changing conditions):
Savannah Britain
Josh Byrd
Andy Cox
Maclin Davis
Seth Gunter
Colton Hile
Ashley Hilton
Jay Kenney
Ethan Lassiter
Jake Murnane
Sean D.
Emilee
Ellis S.
Jonathan VanDyke