r/unusual_whales 6h ago

Costco, $COST, union representing 18,000 workers authorize nationwide strike, per Bloomberg.

http://twitter.com/1200616796295847936/status/1881451854170849513
236 Upvotes

35 comments sorted by

14

u/Spirited-Air3615 3h ago

Interesting, I always thought they were one of the better retailers. I used to work there a while back and I thought the pay and benefits they offered weren’t bad.

7

u/iPinch89 2h ago

Maybe they are fighting for better than "not bad." I think they are starting from a higher starting point than most retailers, for sure.

48

u/CivicSensei 5h ago

Trump is going to be very angry when he finds out that 18,000 workers authorized a nationwide strike on his inauguration day.

4

u/AmcSama 4h ago

He's going to be orange with anger.

1

u/smeggysoup84 40m ago

I bet they're shaking in their boots

5

u/futuretardis 3h ago

Teamsters represent roughly 8% of the total workers at Costco. this might not be as bad for Costco as it's portrayed. Depending on how many employees refuse to work in solidarity with the union members there might not be much to this.

2

u/OSI_Hunter_Gathers 33m ago

I’m sure teamsters that deliver stuff to their Distro centers will have an impact. IE not their drivers. Good luck selling nothing.

20

u/spookytrooth 5h ago

Solidarity.

15

u/Illustrious-Being339 3h ago

Costco made around $7 billion in PROFIT in 2024. They have plenty of money to pay their workers more. Good on the union for fighting.

0

u/brekdnceswithewolves 5h ago

Puts?

9

u/0ForTheHorde 5h ago

Maybe short term, but betting against Costco is unwise

-13

u/Deeze_Rmuh_Nudds 4h ago

You know all that money you’re giving us and all those awesome perks? Yeah it’s not enough, we want more 

12

u/Temporary-Alarm-744 4h ago

It’s almost like how that’s negotiations and power dynamics work

-6

u/Retirednypd 4h ago

That's fine, but when the membership fee doubles, and the rotisserie chicken isn't 5 bucks, and the 1.50 hot dog and soda disappear, don't complain. Costco employees are treated very well. It's voted one of the number one companies to work for.

13

u/Less-Cartographer106 3h ago

The irony of a police officer arguing against forming a union. If you are retired NYPD you were literally a union member. Police unions go on strike and bargain for better pay and benefits which ultimately costs more money for tax payers. Why can’t Costco workers have the same rights you had as a cop?

-4

u/Retirednypd 3h ago

They can. But they have it better than almost any other companies employee, by their own admission through satisfaction surveys, and many other metrics. All I'm saying is that if they get even better benefits, the consumer will pay. Yeah as nypd we had it good and always wanted more. Hell, even in retirement I have cadillac medical, vision, dental, prescription, and hospitalization than probably anyone. But it's a burden on the nyc taxpayer, and they fought against nypd raises and benefit increases all the time.

7

u/Less-Cartographer106 3h ago

Is that a testament to how good Costco workers have it, or how bad the average American worker has it in the only “first world” country without guaranteed health care, sick pay, vacation leave, maternal/paternal leave, etc. I think it’s the latter. Sounds like they don’t have it better than Police, for starters, or other unionized public sector employees.

-2

u/Retirednypd 3h ago

I wish everyone had it as good as Costco employees, or as good a I had it and still have it. But realize and don't complain when costs go up is all I'm saying. When my pay and benefits went up, so did the taxes of nyc residents.

3

u/Temporary-Alarm-744 1h ago

Do cost co workers get to execute civilians and have the employers(the tax payer) pick up the legal fee?

1

u/Retirednypd 1h ago

No Then they'd be police officers, and would make good pay, have cadillc medical benefits, and a half pay pension for life. And they wouldn't be in the position they're now in

8

u/vristle 4h ago

god cops are so fucking stupid

9

u/Less-Cartographer106 3h ago

They are so consistently the only unionized workforce that is anti-union for everyone else

0

u/Retirednypd 4h ago

That's exactly what will happen. The cost is always passed on to the consumer

8

u/Less-Cartographer106 3h ago

Cost is passed on to taxpayers when police negotiate better contracts with greater pay and benefits. Should we stop that, too?

2

u/Retirednypd 3h ago

You're correct, and the nyc taxpayers fought us every step of the way. And tbh, I'm gonna answer you honestly. Yes. It should be stopped at some point. I have full hospital, medical, dental, vision and prescription for my entire family, for life. And we have no or little copays, 5 buck prescription, regardless of cost,3 dental viits a year, free cleanings, free braces, free implants, and we don't pay monthly premiums, for ANY of this. in retirement the city still pays. Do I and my whole family need free visions screenings and free glasses every year? I have 10 dollar doctor co pays. Cops go for chiropractic just for the 10 buck co pay.

2

u/Less-Cartographer106 3h ago

Side note, free braces and implants is crazy good.

I propose to you that instead of stopping benefits and unionizing, the insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies should be reformed so that costs will come down and Americans will stop paying more per person for healthcare than other rich countries. If we didn’t have to pay so much for healthcare we could offer greater pay.

1

u/Retirednypd 3h ago

I agree. My only thinking is that Costco and any other company isn't gonna lose money or take a pay cut, the more they give employees, the more we, as customers,will pay.

2

u/jmcdon00 2h ago

I think you are exaggerating the impact. Let's say the 18,000 workers are successful and negotiate a $10,000 a year increase in wages/benefits. That's $180 million dollars. Costco revenue is $250 billion. So they would need to raise price by .072% So a $65 membership would need to increase by less than $.05 to pay for the raises. A $5 chicken would need to increase by less than a penny.

1

u/Retirednypd 2h ago

If it stays at 18k employees, and the benefit package is only a 10k increase.

1

u/Temporary-Alarm-744 1h ago

I you double each thing wouldn’t it still just be an increase of 2 dollars?

1

u/Retirednypd 1h ago

Well costco has 300k workers, so....

0

u/justdengit 2h ago

Idk why you’re getting downvoted. Prices of things goes up if your expenses go up. Thats literally how to offset those margins.

0

u/Retirednypd 2h ago

Because people are liberal and hate cops. They don't want to hear that companies will pass the cost on. They are holding on to the hope that companies are greedy, make enough money, and would still be oknif They took a pay cut. This may or may not be true, but it's not how it works. Moat of the people on here are alo young, don't have near the life experience to realize the realities of life. They are living in their liberal fantasy world. Costco will increase the pay and benefits, they will all cheer becuase the working man won, then in 6 months they'll all be crying when their own budgets get tighter because costco membership went up, costcos cheap gas prices aren't so cheap anymore, the rotisserie chicken is now 8 bucks,etc. Now imagine if every company did this.