Dear Dan Bane,
A majority of the crew at Store 512 in Hadley, MA supports forming a union, and we believe that a union is a necessary next step for us.
Two years ago, in March of 2020, you mailed a letter to our homes. In this letter, you argued against unionization, asserting that unions were attempting to “drive discontent” in our stores, and that unions were falsely “claiming only joining [a] union will protect the pay and benefits you currently enjoy.”
Since that letter arrived in our mailboxes, Trader Joe’s has continued to slash our benefits as our wages stagnate and our safety concerns go unaddressed. We’ve come to the conclusion that, in fact, a union is the only way to protect and improve our workplace together.
Together we reached out to a union for legal and logistical support. Together, we had countless conversations about our workplace and how forming a union could benefit us. Together, we dreamt of what our benefits, pay, and working conditions could look like. Together, we signed cards. And together, we will win our election and plan for our contract negotiations.
If nothing else, we know how to work hard. We understand teamwork and how to get things done. This union will be no exception.
Dan, you made another statement in your letter from two years ago. You pledged that “if there are 30% of the Crew Members in any store that tell us they want to have a union vote, we will.”
Of course, we know that if 30% of the crew at any store wish to have an election, it will happen, because that’s simply the law. So we can only hope that your intention behind this statement was to allow any store that files for an election the ability to hold that election without any attempts at union busting. We call on you to let us vote without interference or obstruction, and hope that is a pledge you are willing to make.
In Solidarity,
The Trader Joe’s United Organizing Committee