Cambridge brewery workers plan to unionize, file for election

Local News

The Lamplighter Brewing Co. employees hope to be represented by United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1445.

Workers at two Lamplighter Brewing Co. locations in Cambridge filed for a union election Wednesday, the union announced.

The employees filed with United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1445 (UFCW), which represents Massachusetts workers in industries including retail, grocery, and food processing, the union said in a statement.

“We’re thrilled to support workers from Lamplighter and look forward to welcoming them into the UFCW family and the 11,000 workers represented by UFCW Local 1445,” Fernando Lemus, the union’s president, said in the statement.

The brewery has two taprooms, located at 284 Broadway and 110 North First St., according to the brewery’s website. The Broadway taproom, which includes an in-house cafe, opened in 2016, and the second taproom opened in 2022.

Owen Murray and Ryan McFarland, two bartenders at Lamplighter’s Broadway location, both expressed their love for the brewery but emphasized that unionizing was a necessary step for workers.

“We all really enjoy working at Lamplighter, but we know that the brewery industry is changing and evolving,” Murray said in the statement. “We want to make sure our perspectives are heard and taken into account as we all move forward together.”

“I’ve worked in this industry in different places around the country and I can say that this place is unique and special,” McFarland added. “With a union, we’ll have a voice on the job and the consistency we all need to thrive.”

Lamplighter Brewing Co. did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.