PHOTOS BY KRISTY GRAVER

UPDATE: Adda Coffee & Tea owner Sukata Nag and former employees of his local chain that abruptly closed in January reached a preliminary agreement on a compensation package. UFCW Local 1776KS withdrew its petition to the National Labor Relations Board for an election to represent Adda baristas and kitchen staff.

On Jan. 11, a group of workers announced via Instagram their decision to unionize citing low wages, lack of paid breaks, violation of Paid Time Off laws and other concerns. The workers’ Instagram page has more than 5,300 followers.

The same day, Nag announced via social media that the company was shutting down. 

“Our final determination was solely and entirely based on the financial viability of the business,” the post read. “The timing has been unfortunate but we could no longer continue losing money.”

Adda, a Bengali word meaning “to engage in friendly conversation and the place where that interaction happens,” opened in 2016, with expansions in 2018 and 2021. 

Nag did not respond to a request for more information.

Employee Sierra Young says the union had the written support of 23 Adda employees who work at shops in Shadyside, Garfield, the North Side and Downtown’s Cultural District under one general manager. Since September, the group has held weekly meetings.

During a Jan. 10 gathering, employees gave Nag a letter explaining their position.

“His response to receiving the letter was ‘thank you for this’ and then continued with the meeting,” says Young, adding that Nag notified employees of the store closures via Sling, an online scheduling and messaging tool, 2 minutes before making the public announcement.

The Adda Workers Union set up a GoFundMe account to help former kitchen manager Tammy Belvilacqua make ends meet after their upcoming surgery. Any leftover money will be split between the out-of-work baristas.

At press time, the fund had raised more than $20,500. 

“We have grown so much closer since starting to unionize,” Young says, “and this is making us even more of a team.”

On Saturday, in a show of solidarity with the employees, Two Frays Brewery, located near Adda Bazaar on Penn Avenue in Garfield, donated a dollar from each draft sale to the fund.  

“We are grateful for everyone who enjoyed a pint to support all of the former Adda employees,” co-owner Jen Onofray said. “Adda Garfield has been a great Penn Avenue neighbor and we recently loved the food options they added with Tammy running the kitchen. Very sad to see so many people lose jobs with limited warning.”

On a blustery Jan. 17 morning, a crowd gathered outside of Sharpsburg’s Atithi Studios, an artist and co-working space founded by Adda owner Sukanta Nag, to protest the abrupt closure of the four Pittsburgh area cafes.

“We’re here to send a message to the ownership that what they did was wrong,” said Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, who, along with Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato and other state representatives, stood in solidarity with Adda employees. “To announce the closure the day after these workers organized to form a union is, quite frankly, unconscionable.”