Trader Joe’s Workers in New York City Walk Out, Protest Unlawful Termination of Coworkers

Contact: Jordan Pollack at 516-680-6489

Yesterday at least 20 workers at the Essex Crossing Trader Joe’s walked off the job in protest of multiple unfair labor practices including the unlawful termination of a vocal union organizer at the store.

Workers walked out not once, but twice, during the busy holiday shopping day and rallied outside the store with supporters. 

In March 2023, workers at the Essex Crossing location filed for a union election with Trader Joe’s United, the independent union of Trader Joe’s workers, with a majority of union support at their store. After a period of intense union-busting, their union election ended in a tie vote, 76-76, which is legally a win for the employer.

In August 2023, after the National Labor Relations Board handed down the new Cemex ruling, workers at Essex filed for a Cemex bargaining order. The Board’s Cemex ruling paves the way for workers to win union recognition without a representation election when there is majority support for the union. In instances such as the Essex election where an employer commits unfair labor practices leading up to the vote, the Board can order the employer to recognize and bargain with the union. At this time, Essex is still awaiting the Board’s decision on a Cemex bargaining order.

Post-vote, Trader Joe’s continued to union-bust at the Essex store, and crew members there have filed over 15 unfair labor practice charges since the election.

Most recently, Fredd Moore, an outspoken union organizer and crew member, was terminated from the Essex Crossing location after being accused of aggression and swearing while the store was closed. In what Essex workers have observed as a pattern of unfairly and often falsely applied discipline, another crew member who physically threatened Mr. Moore and called him homophobic slurs in front of multiple witnesses during store hours is still employed at Essex, while Mr. Moore was terminated.

Trader Joe’s United has filed unfair labor practice charges in regards to Mr. Moore’s termination and the union is seeking his reinstatement. Essex workers have also organized a GoFundMe to raise immediate funds for Mr. Moore.

“Trader Joe’s is illegally retaliating against its own workers for standing up for our rights. Workers are being harassed, intimidated, and unjustly fired,” said Jordan Pollack, a worker and organizer at Essex. “We walked out because Trader Joe’s needs to know that the harder they union-bust, the stronger we stand together to fight for each other. We’re calling on Trader Joe’s to actually act like the progressive company it claims to be: stop union-busting, respect the National Labor Relations Act, and reinstate Fredd!”

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Trader Joe’s United is an independent labor union 100% founded and powered by Trader Joe’s workers. For more information about TJU, please visit www.traderjoesunited.org