Trader Joe’s broke labor laws in effort to stop stores unionizing, workers say

Situation is notable as the company has cultivated a liberal brand ethos and anti-union moves are likely to dent that public image

Workers at Trader Joe's successfully won union elections this year at stores in Hadley, Massachusetts, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, but workers now have numerous filed unfair labor practice charges against the specialty US supermarket chain, alleging the company has violated labor laws in trying to prevent further stores from unionizing.

The move comes as a wave of unionizing efforts sweeps through sections of the US economy, including at household names like Starbucks and Amazon. The situation at Trader Joe's is especially notable as the firm has cultivated a liberal brand ethos and anti-union moves are likely to dent that public image.