Trader Joe’s Workers said the Company was ruining their union efforts –

Jamie Edwards recently wore a Union pin on a hat while working at Trader Joe’s in Hadley, Massachusetts. Some users noticed the pin and told Edward to support the workers Try joining the store. But Edwards said the assistant manager was less fascinated by the “Trader Joe’s United” button.

“They told me I wasn’t allowed to wear it on my hat,” recalls the 33-year-old who worked for Trader Joe’s for nearly a decade. “At first I agreed that it wouldn’t cause any problems.”

But over a lunch break, Edwards picked up the phone and read about the decisions the National Labor Council had made about workplace work signals. In most cases, employers cannot legally prohibit it. So Edwards went back to work and showed the manager what Google was saying about it.

“After that, we were in a bind,” Edwards said. “If you force me to wear it, I have to ask you to come home,” he said. “Finally I have to go home and skip the rest of the shift.”

Edwards said they had to burn a few hours of paid time to make sure they didn’t lose money for that day. The possible release is now part of the Unfair Labor Practices Tax Group filed by Workers against a union campaign against Trader Joe’s background.

Hadley’s union workers hope to create the network’s first union store under the name. Trader Joe’s United, An independent effort not associated with an established work group. Edwards was the campaign organizer.

Workers criticized the food chain Reduction of pension benefits During the pandemic and its emergence It is more difficult to benefit from health coverage As a part-time worker. They are now accusing Trader Joe of illegal retaliation for their union activism.

In a statement June 2 to the Labor Council requesting public documents, union supporters said merchant Joe responded by sending Edwards home during the day, removing union literature from the commonplace. of the store, and “compliance with the rules. of work”. That prohibits workers from talking about wages and working conditions.

The allegations are now being investigated by the NLRB. If board members find credit in them, they can file a lawsuit against the grocery store. Although remedies for labor violations are weak, the employer may be forced to change company policy if proven unlawful.

Workers can Finding union elections When at least 30% of the proposed transaction unit holds union credentials, however, they usually want more support, assuming the company is conducting an anti-union campaign that weakens support. . In Trader Joe’s case, a successful union effort in one store could easily spread to another, as happened at Starbucks, where Workers United had more than a hundred stores in a matter of months.

Trader Joe’s spokesman did not directly address allegations related to union pins, but said the company owed a “fair vote” on whether to merge or not.

“We believe Trader Joe’s is a job and our salary, benefits and working conditions are among the best in the food industry. “We welcome a fair vote and we are willing to go to the polls if more than 30% of the crew want,” said Nakia Rod, a spokeswoman who used the term trader Joe’s. “A crew member from our Hadley store told the press a few weeks ago that 65% of the crew agreed with their efforts.” We are ready to vote when they are there. “

Meg Joseph, an 18-year Trader Jos veteran involved in the union campaign, said the Hadley location was recently visited by CEO John Basalon, president of the California-based chain stores.

It is common for large companies faced with union campaigns to send high -level executives to meet with managers and employees to hinder organizational movement. (Starbucks flew in with longtime CEO Howard Schultz to talk to workers in Buffalo, New York, and its North American president Rosan Williams, spent several weeks in stores discussing the merger. )

Rhodes said there was nothing unusual about Basalone Hadley’s visit: “Johnny spends most of his time visiting stores and talking to crews across the country. This is a common practice in our team of leaders ”.

Joseph said he had not personally seen the basalt in the store because he was also sent home for wearing a brooch.

“This tactic is disruptive and puts pressure on the crew.” They let the union personnel who were in the store very loud, “he said.” It’s just distraction and we’re trying not to get too involved. unions. We know the history of the company and we’ll just deal with it. “

Joseph said executives first removed the union leaflets in the break room. He said the workers returned them and they have remained there ever since. “There are also a lot of anti-union personnel,” he said.

Edwards said at least three other workers were told to remove union pins. Union supporters decided to stick to this point and file a complaint against Trader Joe if managers continued to remove their pins, instead of sending them home and losing their salary or firing them, Edwards said.

A recent copy of HuffPost’s Trader Joe’s Employee Handbook states that workers cannot add any to their uniforms: “.

But the NLRB found that employers could only impose a broad ban on union signs in “exceptional circumstances,” such as when a button on a uniform posed a security threat. Workers often argue that the guidelines in their employer’s handbook are “too broad” and violate their right, known as “Protected Agreed Activities– That is, join employees to improve working conditions.

Unlike the established syndicate, Trader Joe’s United does not have its own legal team. But Joseph and Edwards said the labor lawyers were advising the workers what their rights were and they intended to file additional lawsuits against the company with the labor council.

“This is what I expected to happen,” Edwards said. “The company will put pressure [managers]. “Most people will do what they are told when their boss pressures them.”