Trader Joe’s United Files Unfair Labor Practice Charges Against Employer After Termination of Union Supporter in Louisville, KY

Trader Joe’s United, the independent union of Trader Joe’s workers that formed last year, has filed unfair labor practice charges against Trader Joe’s with the National Labor Relations Board after the termination of an employee at the Louisville, KY store earlier this week.

Further charges were filed by the union against the company for retaliation against another Louisville employee, and for threatening to retaliate against employees due to their union support.

“It’s incredibly unfortunate that the company is willing to stoop to retaliation and termination of union supporting employees. They would rather do that than actively work with union efforts to enhance the livelihoods of its workers, which goes against the company’s purported core values and its progressive reputation,” said Connor Hovey, a crew member and organizer at the Louisville location. 

On January 26, 2023 crew at the Louisville Trader Joe’s voted 48-36 to join Trader Joe’s United, making it the third store in the chain to vote to join TJU. One week later, Trader Joe’s filed objections to the election results with the NLRB. A hearing on the objections concluded on March 31, 2023. A ruling from the NLRB on these objections is pending.

These unfair labor practice charges come just a week before two other Trader Joe’s locations, one in Oakland, CA and one in New York City, are to hold their union votes with TJU on April 19 and 20.