(LONG BEACH, Calif.) – Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien, General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman, and hundreds of Costco Teamsters rallied in Long Beach, Calif., today to protest the company’s unfair labor practices and demand an industry-leading contract.
“For too long, Costco has hidden behind a fake ‘worker-friendly’ image,” O’Brien said. “But this is a company prioritizing Wall Street and executive bonuses over the people who make it successful. Our message is clear: if you are a ‘worker-friendly’ company, it’s time to stop the bullying, intimidation, and harassment. And if you claim to be ‘pro-worker,’ then prove it at the bargaining table. If management does not get serious, we are ready to fight like hell to get the contract that our members deserve.”
Yesterday, Costco failed to show up for scheduled bargaining with the Costco Teamsters National Negotiating Committee. In August, the Teamsters suspended negotiations after Costco refused to agree to a card check agreement, which would allow nonunion workers to join the Teamsters without facing threats or intimation from management.
“This company talks big about treating its workers well, but actions speak louder than words,” said Tom Erickson, Director of the Teamsters Warehouse Division. “You can’t be anti-union and ‘pro-worker’ at the same time. Costco needs to return to the bargaining table and offer a contract that respects the workers who drive their success — or they’re headed for a showdown.”
Costco, the world’s third-largest retailer, reported a record-breaking $6.3 billion in net profits in 2023. Yet the company has strayed from its once strong “pro-worker” reputation, prioritizing corporate greed over workers. The Teamsters are demanding a contract that reflects these massive profits and holds Costco accountable for its “pro-worker” claims.
“The Teamsters aren’t going to just sit back and watch this corporate greed go unchecked. If Costco executives want to line their own pockets while leaving workers behind, then they’re in for a fight,” Zuckerman said.
The Teamsters recently filed unfair labor practice charges against Costco after the company expelled union representatives, harassed workers for wearing union buttons, sent employees home, removed literature, and even changed locks on union bulletin boards.
“Costco is trying to bully and intimidate us into settling for less than we deserve,” said John Robledo, a Costco worker and Teamsters Local 572 member. “But we won’t back down. If Costco wants to truly call itself a ‘pro-worker’ company, then management needs to start acting like it.”
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and “like” us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.
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