First Illinois Trader Joe's unionizes
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Trader Joe's on Lincoln Avenue. Photo: Joshua Lott/The Washington Post via Getty Images
The Trader Joe's in Chicago's North Center neighborhood just became the first location in Illinois to join the independent union of Trader Joe's workers.
Why it matters: One part of Trader Joe's appeal, along with historically lower prices and unique products, is cheerful customer service. But union campaigns across the country in recent years have revealed that some Trader Joe's workers aren't as happy as they seem.
Driving the news: Employees at the Trader Joe's at 3745 N. Lincoln Ave. learned that employees voted 71-70 in support of joining Trader Joe's United.
- The 71st vote had been challenged by management since a 2024 election, but was cleared by the National Labor Relations Board this month.
The big picture: Trader Joe's has a dedicated following, with its rejection of outside brands; assortment of funky snacks and cheap wine; and crew members, aka workers, wearing Hawaiian shirts and asking about shoppers' day during checkout.
- Since its 1967 opening in California, Trader Joe's has presented a progressive ethos and is generally viewed as a positive place to work with good benefits.
- It averages 4 out of 5 stars for employee satisfaction on sites like Indeed and Glassdoor.
State of play: But some of those benefits are coming under fire by workers pushing to unionize. While staffers have enjoyed fairly low health care premiums, the number of work hours required to qualify and requalify for coverage has changed, TJU spokesperson Roberts Hönisch tells Axios. Hönisch says premiums have also gone up.
- Union supporters also want checks and balances on "captains," or general managers in TJ's parlance. Hönisch says "captain's discretion" doesn't place parameters on how captains make schedules or determine pay bumps.
What they're saying: "You'll see that these organizations [like Trader Joe's] ... have strong reputations amongst their customer base. However, it's a direct pivot when it comes to the workers communicating for better working conditions," Hönisch says.
The other side: Trader Joe's has not responded to Axios' request for comment.
Zoom out: United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) represents workers at Jewel-Osco and Mariano's.
- Workers at a Philadelphia Whole Foods store voted last year to unionize with UFCW. The NLRB last month denied Whole Foods owner Amazon's objections to the union.
What's next: The Chicago TJU still needs to be certified, and then it will begin contract negotiations.
- The four other unionized Trader Joe's, in Hadley, Massachusetts, Minneapolis, Louisville and Oakland, California, still lack a contract.