Reports from the Teamsters Union, Costco, and major news outlets

18,000 Costco Workers Authorize Nationwide Strike by Teamsters Union Before Jan. 31 Deadline

Jan 20, 2025, 06:24 PM

More than 18,000 Costco workers, represented by the Teamsters union, have voted to authorize a nationwide strike if a new contract is not reached by the January 31 deadline. The vote, with 85% in favor, reflects the workers' dissatisfaction with Costco's failure to negotiate constructively and meet their demands for fair wages and benefits. The union has accused Costco of greed and a blatant disregard for the bargaining process, despite the company reporting $250 billion in annual revenue and $7.4 billion in net profits, marking a 135% increase since 2018. Costco, valued at $420 billion, has been in talks with the Teamsters for nearly a month, with the final round of negotiations scheduled for the week following the vote. In preparation, hundreds of Teamsters nationwide organized practice pickets last week. If no agreement is reached, the strike is set to commence on February 1, potentially affecting more than 600 Costco locations across the United States.