ISSAQUAH, Wash. — The Costco Teamsters National Master Agreement expires on Friday and today the union is back at the bargaining table with the company.
“The Teamsters are committed to securing a fair and reasonable agreement but are prepared to take action if the wholesale giant fails to deliver,” they told KIRO 7 in an email.
While Costco is known for paying its employees higher wages than its competitors, the union is accusing the company of not sharing its recent success with workers.
According to the union, Costco recently reported $254 billion in annual revenue and $7.4 billion in net profits. That is a 135 percent increase since 2018. Despite these record gains, the union says the company refuses to meet their demands for fair wages and benefits that reflect the company’s enormous success.
The union announced last week that 85 percent of its members voted to strike if a deal couldn’t be reached.
Costco Teamsters is comprised of 18,000 workers nationwide—including between 100 to 200 fleet drivers in Washington, who service all 34 locations in our state.
Last week, a representative from Costco responded to the union’s allegations and notice of a possible strike, saying:
“Costco is in negotiations with the Teamsters union regarding the renewal of a collective bargaining agreement that applies to less than 10% of Costco US locations,” the representative wrote. “For several decades we’ve had a good relationship with the union, and we are continuing to negotiate with them in good faith to renew the contract. We have always treated our employees fairly and well throughout the history of our company. Claims the union makes or actions they may take are not expected to have a material impact on Costco’s overall business.”
For more information about the potential strike and impacts, click here.
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