Costco Rejects 98% of Teamster Union Demands as Proposed Strike Looms

Costco’s alleged anti-union practices may be landing the retail giant in hot water, as the International Brotherhood of Teamsters president warns that a strike is looming.

Seeking Alpha is reporting that Costco was charged by the union with unfair labor practices earlier this month for ejecting union representatives, intimidating and harassing employees for wearing Teamsters apparel and buttons, and altering the locks on union bulletin boards to stop updates in the future. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 18,000 Costco workers nationwide.

The union is negotiating for paid family leave, a comprehensive bereavement policy, sick leave, protections against surveillance, and crucial wording on seniority in the contract, as the current one, ratified in October 2022, is about to expire in seven weeks. Costco union workers will go on strike if the retailer does not produce a collective bargaining agreement by Jan. 31.

“The clock is ticking, and instead of engaging seriously at the bargaining table, Costco continues to waste time with surface bargaining,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. O’Brien issued a statement following the retailer’s rejection of 98% of the demands made in the initial bargaining proposal.

According to Teamsters, the current Costco National Master Agreement will expire on Jan. 31, 2025, and “Costco fails to negotiate a fair agreement, workers will be forced to strike.”

Costco Set To Close for 24 Hours

The popular big-box store made headlines last week when it announced that it would be closing all of its locations for 24 hours.

On Christmas Day, the store will be closing for the full day as part of a “retail blackout,” which is a planned activity. Christmas continues to be the busiest shopping season of the year, even though many stores close to celebrate the holiday.

Costco is one of several chains that will be closed on Christmas.

The warehouse club will close its hundreds of locations across the United States for a whole day on Christmas Day to allow employees to spend time with their loved ones at home.

In addition to Christmas, the warehouses are closed on Thanksgiving, New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day.

The majority of stores will be open on Christmas Eve from around 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m., however exact hours may vary by region. Customers should expect the store to be open from roughly 8:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.