Costco workers nationwide voted by an overwhelming 85-percent margin to authorize a strike, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters said in a news release on Monday, Jan. 20. The Teamsters cited the retail giant's dramatic surge in net profits and refusal to offer a fair contract.
More than 18,000 union-member employees are set to strike if a new agreement isn't reached by the time the current one expires on Friday, Jan. 31.
"This strike vote is a direct response to Costco’s greed and blatant disregard for the bargaining process," said Teamsters warehouse division director Tom Erickson. "Costco claims to treat workers better than the competition, but right now, it's failing to live up to that reputation. Management has less than two weeks to fix this—if they don't, they'll face the consequences."
Costco recently reported $254 billion in revenue and $7.4 billion in net profits, according to the Teamsters. That marks a 135-percent increase since 2018.
Despite these record-breaking profits, workers said Costco has failed to offer a contract that reflects its financial success.
"From day one, we've told Costco that our members won't work a day past January 31 without a historic, industry-leading agreement," Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien said. "Costco's greedy executives have less than two weeks to do the right thing. If they refuse, they’ll have no one to blame but themselves when our members go on strike."
Hundreds of Costco workers have already begun practicing picket lines with Teamsters Local 272 on Long Island in Westbury, New York, as the union anticipates a strike beginning on Saturday, Feb. 1.
"We do not want to strike, but if Costco refuses to meet us at the bargaining table with the respect we deserve, we are ready to do whatever it takes," said Lance Knowles, a Costco employee in New York and a member of Teamsters Local 210 in New York City. "We will not back down. We will not accept anything less than a contract that sets the standard in the retail industry."
The strike would affect 56 warehouse stores across five states, The Guardian reported. Teamsters make up about eight percent of Costco's 219,000 employees, most of whom aren't in unions.
The union has also held practice pickets in Hayward, California; Sumner, Washington; and San Diego.
"We are the backbone of Costco," said Bryan Fields, a Costco employee in Baltimore and member of Teamsters Local 570. "We drive its success and generate its profits. We hope the company will step up and do right by us, but if they don't, that's on them. The company will be striking itself."
The Teamsters represent 1.3 million workers across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Montclair and receive free news updates.