A few years ago, unions aggressively entered the retail sector in an effort to make "the next Starbucks" happen. That fight hasn’t let up, although momentum has been lacking, with initial victories at Chipotle and Apple not yielding the sky-high results promised by unions. The slow and elusive nature of first contracts consistently proves that representation election victories are only the first in a long line of headaches for newly minted union members, and that pattern continues.
However, this reality hasn’t deterred organizers from continuing their recruiting attempts in the retail realm, so let’s explore some sector updates:
Workers at an Apple retail store in New Jersey have filed a petition in an effort to become the third unionized location out of 271 U.S. stores. Considering that nearly two years have passed since the first union victory (in Towson, Maryland, followed by an Oklahoma City store), this isn’t exactly a barnburner of a development for Big Labor.
Similarly, Trader Joe’s United has only won elections at 4 of the grocer’s 500+ U.S. locations. Workers at a Chicago store have now filed for an election to make it the fifth organized store for the union. Contractual demands will include wage boosts, but a Trader Joe’s representative has publicly declared 7% annual raises to already be standard among the workforce. Somehow, the union has convinced workers, at least for now, that it can yield better results.
The grocery store chain has also ruffled union feathers with a new “Pronto” store that offers grab-and-go lunches and happens to be situated within the now-shuttered Trader Joe’s Wine Shop location. The NYC Trader Joe’s Wine Shop Organizing Committee, affiliated with the UFCW, called the new store “a giant slap in the face” while again accusing Trader Joe’s of closing the wine shop to quash union activity. However, the company denied shuttering the store for no other reason than issues with its state wine license.
Speaking of UFCW, a brewing revolt within the ranks is taking place with the international union’s largest local mulling over a “nuclear option” for “seceding” with the local’s 50,000 members in tow throughout Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. That is, the local is threatening to pursue disaffiliation by “declaring the UFCW to be irredeemably broken and asking members to allow them to become a standalone union dedicated to new organizing and union democracy.”
What gives? UFCW 3000 President Faye Guenther wants the international union to clean up its priorities. Of key concern is the international union’s reluctance to oppose Kroger-Albertson’s merger, which the FTC is now challenging.
Additionally, UFCW 3000 officers have criticized the $300,000+ salaries of other local officials, which won’t win them any friends at the top, so stay tuned for a possible civil war. Or at least, there might soon be 50,000 members withdrawing from the claimed 1.2 million total tally of the entire international membership.
The latter tidbit is worth watching for a possible real-time implosion. In other words, it’s a real soap opera out there for unions, but they will not change the channel anytime soon.