Target workers in Christiansburg seek union election

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Target workers in Christiansburg seek union election

Workers at a Target store in Christiansburg, Virginia, have filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board NLRB to hold a union election, saying inflation is outpacing their pay.

The labor movement is sweeping the nation and is impacting major corporations like Amazon, Starbucks, Apple, and Etsy.

Adam Ryan, who has been working at the Christiansburg store for five years and founded Target Workers Unite in 2019, said their pay is not keeping pace with the rising costs for staples like food and rent.

The rising cost of living is causing a lot of anxiety and stress, according to Ryan. People are stretched too thin. He said that employees feel like they are having to do too many tasks, from filling online orders to unloading trucks.

The move came after veteran Target workers at the store, which employs about 100 people, petitioned for additional pay for five and 10 year veterans. Target Workers Unite argued that their request was met with evasive tactics and non-answers by corporate HR despite its open door policy for workers.

A Target spokeswoman told FOX Business that the company has a commitment to listening to our team and creating an environment of mutual trust where every team member's voice matters. The company pays between $15 and $24 per hour, according to a company spokesman.

Target raised the starting wage at the Christiansburg store last fall, as well as an increase in wages for longer-tenured workers.

The spokesperson said the company also offers expanded health care benefits, debt-free education assistance, personalized scheduling and opportunities for growth.

According to the agency's policies, the unions need to garner support from at least 30% of workers who are eligible to vote in order to hold an official election under the supervision of the U.S. National Labor Relations Board.

Ryan said that they have already collected more than 30 authorization cards from workers at the store, which is about 30% of the staff.

The signatures still need to be reviewed.