Trader Joe’s Workers in Chicago, IL Vote to Unionize

After more than two years of waiting, workers at the Chicago, IL store on Lincoln Avenue (Store #688) have officially won their union election and have joined Trader Joe’s United (TJU), the independent union of Trader Joe’s workers. They are the first unionized Trader Joe’s in Illinois and the fifth store to unionize nationwide. 

In April 2024, the workers of the Lincoln Avenue Chicago store voted in their union election to join Trader Joe’s United with a tally of 70-70 with one challenged ballot. Trader Joe’s contested the opening of the challenged ballot and the workers were left waiting. 

On July 8, 2026, after all remaining legal challenges had been resolved, the challenged ballot was opened. This brought the final tally to 71-70 in favor of joining the Union. 

Trader Joe’s United is an independent and unaffiliated labor union founded by workers in Hadley, MA in July 2022 when that store became the first in the chain to unionize. The Hadley win was quickly followed by a landslide victory at the company’s Minneapolis, MN location where the union prevailed in a 55-5 vote two weeks later. In 2023, stores in Louisville, KY and Oakland, CA also voted to join TJU.

Despite Trader Joe’s long-standing reputation as a progressive company, the company has rolled out well-documented anti-union tactics at all locations that have filed for a union election. 

Trader Joe’s has faced significant public backlash for asserting that the National Labor Relations Board itself is unconstitutional. Trader Joe’s made this claim as an affirmative defense during an NLRB hearing in which the employer is accused of multiple unfair labor practices, including the unlawful termination of a union supporter. Trader Joe’s defense echoes similar arguments made by SpaceX and Amazon in separate legal filings.

“The workers of the Lincoln Avenue store have long waited for this verdict,” said Roberts Hönisch, President of Trader Joe’s United. “Trader Joe’s thought that the workers would give up if the final result was delayed. Our victory today not only shows the grit and conviction of the organizers at Store 688, it also sends a clear message to Trader Joe’s that their union-busting tactics cannot stomp out the workers’ determination to improve their working conditions and having their voices heard. Our union looks forward to immediately beginning bargaining on behalf of the workers at TJU5.”