Their union, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 400, has requested to dismiss the decertification petition.

The suit comes a month after a settlement between the food incubator and the National Labor Relations Board over union-busting.

Union Kitchen will be required to pay a total of $25,000 to five workers who were retaliated against after participating in union organizing.

In a formal complaint, the National Labor Relations Board states that owner Cullen Gilchrist wrongfully terminated employees and engaged in union-busting tactics.

Contract negotiations should begin soon. Roughly 50 retail workers are fighting for pay raises and better staffing levels.

Workers are waiting on the federal labor board to resolve challenged ballots and to issue decisions on the unfair labor practice charges they filed.

It marks the latest incident workers characterize as retaliation since announcing their intention to form a union, which has expanded to all five current retail locations.

Dozens attended a rally outside a Union Kitchen store in a show of solidarity with workers and on strike.

“The idea for the company is so good and there’s a really great foundation,” says one employee. “There’s just a lot of flaws, and we feel like, by unionizing, we can help to make it something really great.”

Jem Ferments’ water kefir is sweeter, with a muted tartness, than kombucha.