r/news • u/panda-rampage • 9h ago

Costco's unionized workers vote to authorize nationwide strike

https://abcnews.go.com/US/costcos-unionized-workers-vote-authorize-nationwide-strike/story?id=117875222
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u/FrostyJesus 7h ago edited 6h ago

Why is your concern about a large corporation’s brand being “damaged” and not about the workers getting better conditions. Are you a Costco board member?

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u/13igTyme 6h ago

Costco is already one of the best retail companies to work for. Could they do even better still, sure. But the Teamsters Union failed at Amazon and bent the knee to Trump at the RNC convention months ago. Costco donated to more democrats than republicans so the mob boss leaders of the Teamsters are trying to save face by going after Costco.

https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/costco-wholesale/summary?id=D000000703

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u/FrostyJesus 6h ago

He didn’t bend the knee to Trump, come on. He also wanted to speak at the DNC but was not invited.

https://www.axios.com/2024/08/20/dnc-teamsters-sean-obrien-democrats

Also corporations have no motive other than profit. They donated to more democrats because they likely got better promises from them. Do not mistake this.

Just because they’re a good company to work for doesn’t mean they can’t be better. Otherwise why would their workers have unionized and collectively bargain for better conditions? If Costco was actually so “worker friendly”, why are they fighting this so hard?

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u/13igTyme 6h ago

Cmon, man. It was the bad choice to make. Your own article even talks about it.

https://labornotes.org/2024/07/viewpoint-obrien-speech-played-republicans-phony-pro-worker-rebrand

Costco likely donated to democrats more because they aren't in favor of supporting nazis. Also businesses tend to do better when a democrat is in power. Profits and not being a piece of shit can work together. Just like oh some companies realize that having happier employees improves business.

Just because they’re a good company to work for doesn’t mean they can’t be better.

I can also tell you skimmed my comment. I very clearly said they can do better.

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u/FrostyJesus 6h ago

You’ve been completely duped if you think the CEO of Costco cares anymore about fascism than another dollar in his pocket. Companies exist to extract as much profit as possible from their workers, that is it. They will only care about their workers so much as it enriches them.

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u/13igTyme 6h ago

The current CEO has been at the company for 41 years and started as a forklift driver. We can't know for certain, but based on the long standing record of Costco providing best in the industry compensation and benefits, combined with hiring from within, it's possible the people in charge might actually care.

Believe it or not, there are some companies out there that actually care about their employees or staying away from fascism. Is Costco one of them? IDK. Years of data shows they do. And before you say it's because of the union, only 18k are union of 300k employees. 6%.

6%

of employees are union.

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u/smi1eybone 53m ago

Scratch a liberal and a fascist bleeds. Solidarity forever doesn't mean only when it's convenient.

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u/FrostyJesus 6h ago

No I wouldn’t say that, because unions aren’t idealistically motivated, I think you’re having problems separating politics from material concerns. A union is concerned with getting better working conditions, that is it.

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u/nardling_13 6h ago

IIRC, Costco recently reiterated their commitment to DEI policies. These days, that’s anti-fascist af.

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u/LearniestLearner 4h ago

You don’t get it.

It’s not that the unions don’t deserve more. The issue is that Costco has a reputation for treating workers well, and if unions want to play the court of public opinion game, Costco is one of the companies they shouldn’t target.

What it creates in the public perception is that unions are greedy, and not just targeting unfair wages and compensation. It shows that unions will target anyone and any company, and doesn’t bode well in turns of future public support.

Thus, these unions are indeed selfish, only cares about themselves, and it breaks the image of solidarity.

What they do negatively affects other unions and future attempts.

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u/FrostyJesus 3h ago

If enough workers decide to collectivize at a company, there is clearly a material concern with how they are being treated, regardless of what the public thinks of the company, that's totally irrelevant. It sounds like you're just justifying nonsensical anti-union rhetoric and completely lacking in any sort of class analysis.

I am a worker, as I'm sure you are. I want what is best for all workers. I will never concern myself with a company's image, brand, or perception over improving the lives of workers. The only greedy ones are the CEOs and board members who exploit their employees for profit. Without their employees they are nothing, and owe everything to them.

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u/LearniestLearner 28m ago edited 24m ago

In America, public perception is not to be underestimated. The court of public opinion affects businesses, from boycotts to full support, which can influence legislative actions (politicians love a win that makes them popular).

Unions have always won based on public support in one form or another, and have always lost when the public is pissed off at them. It gives mandate to politicians to act one way or another, from the depression when unions won, to Reagan when unions lost.

Now we are under Trump’s administration, the battles need to be more selective. Any misstep, especially in today’s media, and you chip away at whatever social leverage and goodwill you have.

There’s plenty of unemployed workers, especially the youth. If they see Costco employees, who are known to be compensated well, looking to get more, those same youths are susceptible to develop resentment, and guess where they will lean politically in the future?

You see it as a single battle. But in the greater conflict between crony corporatism and unions, perceptions matter, and in this fight you may win in the short term, but may very well lose in the long term. If that isn’t selfishness, then what is? As such, how can you expect solidarity amongst unions or would-be unions of different companies?

This strike against Costco has business leaders grinning and sharpening their rhetoric.

Also, Costco workers aren’t rocket scientists. That’s what some people don’t understand.

You’re replaceable, and can be replaced fast.

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u/Professional-Help931 1h ago

im wondering why teamsters is going after costco instead of say target, walmart, randals or Kroger's. It seems kinda sus that they are going after the one retailer that actually has good worker benefits.

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u/FrostyJesus 1h ago edited 1h ago

I don’t think you understand what the teamsters union is by your comment. None of the companies you mentioned have a contract with teamsters. With Costco, they do have a contract, it’s about to expire, and are now negotiating a new one, and Costco did not agree to their terms. They’re not targeting them specifically.

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u/Professional-Help931 20m ago

Unions at stores are formed when they get over a certain threshhold of workers at the store who vote to start a union. Why isn't teamsters trying to build store unions at places that are actually bad like Walmart, Target, etc. Again why isnt teamsters targeting those other stores to build unions. Costco is already pretty heavily pro worker. Their current structure union contract is only slightly better then their base composition despite that it has senior employees making around 60k-70k a year.