Rogue Traders | Trader Joe's workers seek federal backing for union push

Trader Joe's has become the latest major US retailer facing pressure to engage with labor unions, as the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) seeks an order compelling it to recognize and negotiate with a worker-led union called Trader Joe’s United.

The push comes after allegations that employees were discouraged and threatened in their efforts to unionize.

The dispute centers on a Trader Joe's store on New York’s Lower East Side, where workers narrowly failed to get enough support in a union vote last year.

Despite the loss, the NLRB’s general counsel is calling for the grocery chain to negotiate with the union under a framework introduced in 2023, designed to address unfair labor practices.