70 Washington bikini baristas win $1.5M wage theft lawsuit against espresso stand owner

Bikini baristas who worked at Beehive Espresso stands across Western Washington have won a years-long legal fight over wage theft and other workplace violations Bikini baristas who worked at Beehive Espresso stands across Western Washington have won a years-long legal fight over wage theft and other workplace violations, with a King County Superior Court judge ordering owner Alan Tagle to pay more than $1.85 million in stolen wages and damages. The baristas, represented by Working Washington Rights Center, formerly known as Fair Work Center, and co-counsel at Schroeter Goldmark & Bender, will recover over $1.85 million in unpaid wages and damages following a ruling by Judge Cindi Port in King County Superior Court. The case was a class action lawsuit involving 70 bikini baristas. The court found that Tagle 'accepted the benefit of baristas' work without paying for it,' and awarded double damages for the amount of wages and tips that workers were made to rebate to Tagle to meet 'sales goals. ' According to workers, Tagle created confusing pay practices and exercised a level of control that made it difficult for individual baristas to challenge what was happening. Workers said baristas were expected to turn over tips and wages to meet what they described as arbitrary sales goals or risk losing hours or being fired. Workers also said baristas were required to mostly work alone, but when two were scheduled for the same shift, the employer would only pay one of the workers. They said Tagle also illegally banned baristas from working at other bikini barista stands as a tactic to dissuade workers from challenging their mistreatment. In a text message to another employer, Tagle warned against allowing baristas to take shifts at other stands because it 'prevents me from having the control I need over themNormally girls are not shared because it empowers them, they won't listen because they can just go to the other stand. ' Eilish Hoffman, a named plaintiff and class representative and former Beehive Espresso worker, said organizing in an industry where many baristas work alone was a major hurdle. 'Because baristas work most shifts alone, we do not always know whether what is happening to us is happening to coworkers. As a result, breaking through that isolation and building trust was one of the first big barriers we had to overcome in order to join together for what we were rightfully owed,' Hoffman said. 'Tools like social media gave us a way to share our experiences. It felt risky in this economy because of the real threat of retaliation, but I did not want other baristas to feel as powerless and isolated as I had felt before I became determined to take action. ''Coming together with my coworkers to fight in court and win has shown me that there is power in unity, the bad guys don't always win, and that there is hope out there for people working in any industry! If you see something wrong and find the gumption to stand up you CAN make a change for the greater good! ' Hoffman said. Working Washington Rights Center said it partnered with attorneys at Schroeter Goldmark and Bender to sue Beehive Espresso for wages workers said they were owed and statutory penalties. The organization said the case faced delays and barriers caused by poor record-keeping, but workers ultimately prevailed. 'Working Washington Rights Center congratulates baristas for boldly taking on wage theft in the bikini coffee industry—and winning! Alongside our partners at SGB, we're proud to have put our legal muscle behind their collective demand for accountability. We hope this victory inspires other workers to fight together for what they deserve in the industry and beyond,' said Janae Choquette, a staff attorney with Working Washington Rights Center. Another former worker, Mykie, said the ruling reflects changing attitudes about sex work and workplace rights. 'This ruling gives me a lot of hope for how people's and society's views on sex workers are changing. I think that we're approaching a time when people realize that no matter what it is you do for work, you still deserve the bare minimum and more,' Mykie said. 'I'm very proud to see that sex workers–all workers–are feeling more empowered to speak up against mistreatment in the workplace. ' 'And it gives me a lot of hope for the future of, not only the bikini barista industry, but sex work as a whole. I have a lot of confidence that the culture around shitty bosses, especially male bosses in this industry, is changing; we are not objects to be conquered, we are people to be respected,' Mykie said. A late-night shooting in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood left a 17-year-old boy dead and a 21-year-old man seriously injured. A traffic dispute in Seattle escalated into a physical fight Sunday afternoon, leaving two people injured and one facing an assault charge, according to police. A single-engine plane crashed into a yard near the Frontier Air Park community in Lake Stevens, leaving the plane's only occupant seriously injured. Seattle police are investigating two shootings in Belltown that left two people dead and three others injured early Sunday. The first shooting was called in shorIt wasn't the prettiest of games. It was 70 instead of 40 degrees. Fans were celebrating Labor Day Weekend, not Thanksgiving Weekend.