DEI isn’t the only trouble facing a nationwide wholesaler as 18,000 union employees threaten to walk off the job as a contract deadline nears.
Threats of boycotts and legal repercussions haven’t been enough to sway the shareholders of Costco from rejecting an evaluation of the risks of keeping their diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. Now their stubbornness is being put to the test by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters as the union prepares to go on strike over alleged “illegal and reckless behavior” from the retailer which hasn’t spread around billions in profit.
“If Costco actually respects its employees, it will give our 18,000 members the wages, benefits, and work rules that they have been demanding for months,” said a Teamsters spokesperson to Fox News Digital as the union represented roughly 8% of Costco’s 219,000 U.S. employees.
“What I can tell you is our contract with this company expires at midnight on Friday, and the reason Costco has made so much money over the past few years is its workers,” continued the spokesperson as the company reportedly brought in $7.4 billion in profit, an increase of 135% since 2018, but was said to be offering less than 3% in raises.
Costco reported $7.4 billion in profits last year — a 135 percent increase since 2018. So how’s the company rewarding workers? By proposing less than 3 percent raises, kicking workers just $1 in the first year of a new contract. That’s not even enough to buy a Costco hot dog. pic.twitter.com/BqL5xgBO1b
— Teamsters (@Teamsters) January 26, 2025
If the union goes on strike after 85% of Costco employee members vote in favor of it the labor protest is expected to affect 50 locations across New Jersey, New York, Virginia, and Washington after the Jan. 31 contract deadline.
In addition to seeking higher wages for the employees, the dispute alleged “illegal and reckless behavior” from Costco, claiming the retailer kicked union representatives out of stores, changed locks on union bulletin boards, and prevented employees from wearing Teamster buttons.
Further, the company had refused to reach a card check agreement that would have made it easier for members to join the union by eliminating secret ballots.
“Costco has two choices,” expressed Teamsters President Sean O’Brien in a statement, “respect the workers who made them a success face a national strike. Costco Teamsters deserve an industry-leading contract that reflects the company’s massive profits. If Costco thinks they can exploit our members while raking in billions, we’ll shut them down.”
In addition to members protesting outside Costco’s Washington offices as the board voted against opposing DEI, O’Brien appeared alongside union members at a practice picket line outside the Westbury, New York location on Long Island where signs read “Strike Ready! A taste of what’s to come!” and “Just Sampling.”
Costco Teamsters are strike ready. With the January 31 contract deadline approaching, over 18,000 Teamsters are demanding the strongest possible contract. If Costco refuses to deliver, they’ll be striking themselves.
Costco recently reported $254 billion in annual revenue and… pic.twitter.com/5tdBATVs32
— Teamsters (@Teamsters) January 22, 2025
Meanwhile, amid favor from board members like Jeff Raikes, an outspoken proponent of Marxist DEI policies who once led the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Costco is facing a potential legal fight as 19 state attorneys general have signed a letter demanding the big box store “follow the law and end its woke DEI policies.”
“It’s time to ditch DEI,” Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird said in a statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation. “While other companies right the ship and abandon their illegal, woke policies, Costco has doubled down. I’m putting Costco on notice to do the right thing and eliminate discriminatory DEI. No American should be denied an opportunity because they don’t fit the woke mold.”
President Donald Trump has been credited with helping to avoid a strike by the longshoremen’s union ahead of his return to the White House, but it remains to be seen if he would have any involvement in the Teamsters dispute or the AGs stance on DEI as he himself has taken executive action to purge such policies from the federal government.
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Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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