Petition for Election Filed with the NLRB

5/23/22

Dear Intellis -

The secret to advancing our mission of making extraordinary coffee an agent of change is no mystery. It’s our people! It’s why we hire extraordinary people and foster a culture of collaboration, curiosity, and mutual respect. We are deeply devoted to ensuring that our people feel safe, seen, heard, valued, and respected, and believe that the direct relationship we currently have with our people is the best way to ensure a great place to work.

On Friday, May 20, 2022, Intelligentsia received notice from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1220, that this union filed a Petition for Election with the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) seeking to become the collective bargaining representative for certain employees at our Chicago coffeebars and the Chicago Roasting Works. The NLRB confirmed receipt of this Petition today. As you may know, the filing of this Petition starts a process at the NLRB to determine which employees may be eligible for representation. We are currently reviewing the Petition and working with the NLRB to determine which employees are eligible to vote. We will keep you informed of any developments, including when an election is scheduled.

This process leads to a secret ballot election conducted by the NLRB where eligible Chicago employees can vote on whether they want Local 1220 to represent them for purposes of collective bargaining. Until the Petition is processed and the election occurs, all current terms and conditions of employment will remain unchanged. We will continue to operate our Chicago coffeebars and the Chicago Roasting Works and appreciate your hard work each day in producing and serving extraordinary coffee to our customers.

Between now and election day, Intelligentsia will share with you information – facts – about what having a union means for you, for your supervisors, and for the Company. We will explain why the Company prefers to deal with you individually and directly rather than through an outside third party who knows little about our business and our operations. Nor do we think that employees need to pay Local 1220 to represent them.

The decision on whether Local 1220 will represent certain Chicago Intelligentsia employees rests with the employees determined eligible to vote. The Company respects that right and will encourage those employees to consider all information to make an informed decision. We will share facts so that employees hear both sides – not just what Local 1220 may be saying.

Thank you for all the work that you do to change the way the world understands and appreciates coffee. If you have any questions, please reach out to our People & Culture team.

James