Trader Joe’s workers in Massachusetts recently announced that they’ve gotten an official union election date — a vote that could produce the company’s first-ever union.
The in-person election for the workers in Hadley, Massachusetts, is scheduled for July 27 and 28, Trader Joe’s United announced. This means that the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has certified that at least 30 percent of workers have signed union cards — though Workers claim thatThey have the support and support of more than half of the approximately 81-person unit, which is enough for them to win the election.
“We are thrilled to finally have an election date, and we can’t wait to see the final vote count,” Trader Joe’s United organizer Tony Falco said in a press release.
Amazon Labor Union is a similar model. Produced Amazon’s first-ever union, the Trader Joe’s employees are seeking to form an independent union, with no affiliation to established labor unions. Although Trader Joe’s said in a statement that the union is “[Service Employees International Union]-backed,” per the Daily Hampshire Gazette, union leaders have said that the company’s claim is false.
Amazon Labor Union’s strategy of forming a union from scratch has shaken up traditional labor organizers’ views of how to achieve major wins within the labor movement. Trader Joe’s United may see similar success, as a fresh generation of labor organizers are repeatedly notching wins at a time when union membership is decliningSeveral established unions like the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations are available (AFL-CIO). are spending lessHow to organize.
Indeed, there is already evidence that the Trader Joe’s Union may be spreading across the country. Workers at a Trader Joe’s in MinneapolisLast week, a petition was filed to form a union. The location is the second in Trader Joe’s United’s campaign to file for unionization.
Workers at Trader Joe’s have complaints about their workplaces that are similar to those of unionizing workers at places like Apple, Starbucks REI. The company presents itself as a progressive company that prioritizes employees’ wants and needs. However, workers claim that their relationship has been steadily deteriorating with management as the company reduces their benefits. Workers say this sentiment was especially strong during the pandemic.
“Over time, Trader Joe’s has slashed benefits, retirement benefits in particular,” Minneapolis Trader Joe’s worker Sarah Beth Ryther told More Perfect Union. Ten years ago, the company offered a 15 percent guaranteed retirement contribution, but that benefit has been slashed to zero — what the company calls a “discretionary contribution” — which Ryther said “leav[es] employees with absolutely no idea how much they’re going to be receiving.”
Both Hadley workers and Minneapolis workers say that the company has been brutally retaliating against union workers. The union Several applications were filedThe company was accused of unfair labor practices in relation to the Hadley unionization effort. According to the complaint, the company sent a worker home for wearing the union pin and barred workers from discussing wages.
Meanwhile, workers in Minneapolis say that the company recently fired a pro-union employee who had worked for the company for 13 years, claiming that the employee had a “negative impact” on other workers.
This campaign comes as workers at other firms are winning unions despite harsh union-busting tactics. REI workers in Berkeley, California officially started their union campaign last Wednesday. and created a petitionREI to recognize their union The petition is filed by the California workers to request recognition of their union. On the heels ofNew York’s successful union drive saw REI workers vote to form a union in March.
