Workers at Trader Joe’s beloved NYC wine shop say they have been shut down to prevent them from unionizing – while Starbucks, Apple, Amazon and Google are fighting workers’ efforts to organize
- The beloved store where New Yorkers shopped for discounted wine suddenly closed earlier this month after 15 years
- Workers say it’s because they were just days away from unionizing and the store wanted to send a message to its other locations
- Trader Joe’s has not officially commented on the closure of the Union Square location
- The workers’ union plans mimic similar efforts by workers at Starbucks, Apple, Amazon and Google
- Across America, workers are flocking to unionize
- Experts speak of a slump after the pandemic
- Have you worked at Trader Joe’s Wine Shop and planning to unionize? Email [email protected]
Workers at Trader Joe’s beloved wine store in Union Square in New York City say the discount grocery chain decided to close it after threatening to unionize with thousands of other workers across the county.
The wine shop was a firm favorite among New Yorkers, who for more than 15 years were willing to grit their teeth through the long checkout lines to snag their favorite wines at knock-down prices.
That was until earlier this month, when a flimsy notice appeared on the store’s doors, informing customers that it was permanently closed.
Workers at the closed store are now telling the Huffington Post they planned to unionize and were days away before the store closed its doors.
Of the 30 employees, 22 had voted to form a union.
The closed Trader Joe’s wine shop in Union Square, where New Yorkers have been shopping for wine for 15 years
On August 11, the store suddenly closed without warning to staff or customers visiting
“It’s about stopping union efforts completely before they can start. My regulars are angry. It really makes us look bad. It does [the company] look bad putting their employees out of work without notice,” said Jonathan Reuning, 63.
They hope this will discourage other workers from doing the same as us
Rob Bradlea, employee of TJ’s Wine Shop
He had been with the company for five years.
Now the employees say they are out of work, although TJ claims it plans to open an even better and bigger wine shop somewhere else in the state.
The company has not made any official comment on its decision to close the store.
Some of the employees said it was intended to discourage employees in other stores from making similar efforts.
“They hope this will discourage other workers from doing what we are doing,” said Rob Bradlea, another wine merchant.
A worker at the adjacent grocery store told Thursday morning that the reason for the closure was the landlord NYU.
They said they were told by executives that NYU prevents the store from selling liquor — which they are licensed to do.
“They don’t want us to sell liquor, but we’re licensed to do so, so we’re going somewhere we can do that,” said the worker, who gave her name only as Elizabeth.
Executives may have wanted to expand to larger premises anyway and are bound by a New York State law that prohibits businesses from owning more than one wine or liquor store.
Pro-union activists demonstrated in New York City last month, accusing CEO Howard Schultz of anti-union efforts
Union officials demonstrate against Starbucks’ anti-union stance during a demonstration in New York City in 2021
The store lease is still in the hands of the company and is now used as a sort of fulfillment center for the adjacent grocery store.
The union plans mimic similar efforts by workers at other major retailers, including Starbucks, Google, Amazon and Apple.
These large companies resist efforts by employees to organize.
This week, Starbucks asked the National Union Labor Board to stop workers from casting absentee ballots for their union elections.
Experts say it’s due to a combination of a COVID-19 pandemic scaring workers about their rights, the cost of living crisis and an electrifying message from Joe Biden, who has vowed to be the “most unionist president ever”.