Trader Joe’s has taken legal action against its workers’ union in an effort to prevent the union from selling merchandise featuring its logo and name, Trader Joe’s United. The grocer filed a lawsuit in federal court in California, alleging that the union’s online store infringes on its trademark and dilutes its brand. The company claims that the sale of these items, including a reusable shopping bag with the union’s logo and a raised fist holding a box cutter, could cause significant harm to its reputation. Trader Joe’s is seeking a court order to block the union from selling such merchandise. The company asserts that the union has unauthorized use of its intellectual property to advertise and sell products. Trader Joe’s has not yet commented on the matter.
HuffPost recently reported that Trader Joe’s threatened to take Trader Joe’s United to court over the items sold in its store, which is managed by Bright Blue Ink, a union print shop and web store manager based in Austin, Texas. Last month, Trader Joe’s sent a letter to the union’s president, Jamie Edwards, claiming that the merchandise infringed on its trademarks and trade dress.
In response, the union’s lawyers accused Trader Joe’s of weaponizing trademark law against its own workers and called the claims frivolous. They stated that the union has no intention of pulling its merchandise and described this latest threat as part of Trader Joe’s continuing attack against labor.
Trader Joe’s United is a new union that has organized four stores since last year. Prior to that, none of Trader Joe’s 500+ locations had been unionized. The union has accused the company of unfair labor practices during its organizing campaign, and the National Labor Relations Board’s general counsel recently filed a complaint accusing Trader Joe’s of retaliating against union organizers in Hadley, Massachusetts, where Trader Joe’s United was formed.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
