At the Costco store in Norfolk, VA, employees voted overwhelmingly to join the Teamsters, the largest union in America, marking the first “victory” for workers at a Costco location in two decades.
The group of 238 employees is anticipating that joining Teamsters Local 822 will help address “years of concerns and improve working conditions.”
The Teamsters ratified a first national master agreement for Costco in October 2022, boosting wages and pension contributions by the retailer and providing benefits, including a more flexible attendance at work policy. According to a Teamsters statement, many Costco workers in Norfolk cited the national contract as a catalyst for organizing.
“This campaign was all about standing together as a group and taking control over our well-being in the workplace,” said Damion Thomas, a Costco cashier who served on the organizing committee. “We can’t wait to be covered under a strong Teamster contract that will give us a real voice and bring real change to the job.”
In a memo to U.S. employees, Costco’s CEO Ron Vachris and former CEO Craig Jelinek wrote that they were disappointed with the move. “To be honest, we’re disappointed by the result in Norfolk. We’re not disappointed in our employees; we’re disappointed in ourselves as managers and leaders. The fact that a majority of Norfolk employees felt that they wanted or needed a union constitutes a failure on our part.
“At Costco, we take great pride in our relationships with each other. We’re not anti-union, but our core value of ‘taking care of our employees’ has never been the result of any union. It’s been part of Costco’s Mission Statement and the foundation of our Employee Agreement from the very beginning of Costco’s business.
“Please know that we are as committed as ever to our employees. If you ever have any doubts or questions about this commitment, please talk to your manager or any member of Costco’s leadership team. Our culture of trust, respect, and reliance upon each other is what makes Costco such a great company,” concluded Jelinek.
Image courtesy Costco
