A potential strike by 18,000 Teamsters across 56 Costco stores in six states is set to begin early Saturday if an agreement cannot be reached on wages and benefits. The union claims that the company has rejected proposals dealing with seniority pay, paid family leave, bereavement policies, sick time, and safeguards against surveillance.
The team members, who make up only 8% of Costco’s 219,000 employees, are demanding improved pay and benefits. Despite having record-breaking annual net income of $7.4 billion, the union argues that Costco can afford to provide better compensation to its workers.
Teamsters President Sean O’Brien has warned that if Costco refuses to meet their demands, the company will face a national strike. The union is prepared to set up picket lines at non-unionized Costco stores nationwide, which could increase economic pressure on the company.
Analysts predict that the strike may not have a significant financial impact on Costco’s bottom line, but a deal seen as favorable to the union could spark organizing efforts at other stores across the chain. A labor analyst noted that strikes in this sector typically last only a few days, with some lasting up to 11 days in extreme cases.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/31/business/costco-teamsters-strike/index.html