Opus Coffee is currently a “small” business in Gainesville, FL who has eight active locations, is opening a ninth, owns a food park with vendors who pay rent, and keeps business on the brain. While drink costs and retail prices rise with inflation, employee wages do not. Provided parking for several locations is located approximately 0.7 miles away- making it around a seventeen minute walk for 5:40am shift starts or 9:00pm clock outs. A parking ticket in lots with closer access can cost over 50% of a shift (several baristas describe getting $40 fees). To combat such unfairness, this petition was created to hold Opus accountable and permit employees to express and act on desires to unionize without termination as their business environment becomes more and more corporate. Labor unions are important because they allow employees to be protected while joining together; it gives them the ability to negotiate more favorable conditions through use of collective bargaining. Unfortunately only employees can start a union, but we can give them our support! Right now those who work at Opus may be too scared to advocate for such a cause, and those who don’t may be too tired to care. Let’s show them we do!