SEATTLE — Across the country, 18,000 Teamsters union Costco workers have voted to strike as their contracts expire on January 31.
Union leaders said Monday that the Issaquah-based company failed to offer a fair contract that reflects its record profits.
Last week, Costco Teamsters in Sumner and other parts of the country held practice pickets to prepare for a possible strike. Sumner Teamsters members are fleet drivers who transport goods from distribution centers to Costco warehouses, according to Teamsters Union Local 174.
“I have been a Costco driver for 12 years and have seen this company grow into one of the largest retailers in the world,” said Robert Campus, Local 174 member and fleet driver in Sumner. “It’s time for Costco to stop prioritizing Wall Street and corporate executives over the workers who built this company. We are fully prepared to strike if we are offered anything other than a record, industry-leading contract.
“Greedy Costco executives have less than two weeks to make the right decision. If they refuse, they will have no one to blame but themselves when our members go on strike,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien.
Costco recently reported annual revenue of $254 billion and net income of $7.4 billion, an increase of 135% since 2018, according to a Teamsters press release.
Workers have said they want a package that includes wage increases and retirement benefits, but have not said publicly exactly how much more they want or what they are currently receiving.
KOMO News reached out to Costco for comment Monday, but has not yet received a response.
