More than 18,000 Costco workers will march on picket lines in less than two weeks if a labor dispute over wages and benefits is not resolved, according to the Teamsters union.
Members voted by an 85% majority to authorize a strike when their current contract expires on Jan. 31, the union announced Sunday.
“Our members have spoken loud and clear: Costco must provide a fair contract or they will be held accountable,” Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien said in a news release. “From day one, we told Costco that our members would not work a day past January 31 without a historic, industry-leading deal. Costco’s greedy executives have less than two weeks to do what they must.”
The Teamsters declined to specify what compensation and benefits they want for workers.
“We demand the best wages and benefits in the industry. As of this writing, the company has not responded with a meaningful response,” a union spokesperson said in an email.
At the end of September, the wholesale giant reported annual revenue of $250 billion and net profit of $7.4 billion.
In anticipation of a possible strike, hundreds of Costco Teamsters nationwide last week held picket lines from Hayward, California, to Long Island, New York, according to the union.
Costco, which operates 897 warehouses, including 617 in the United States and Puerto Rico, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
