Target Store Workers File for Union Election Citing Wage Issue

Workers at a Target Corp. store in Southwest Virginia have filed for a union election, adding to the national wave of retail organizing.

Workers at the retailer’s location in Christiansburg, Va., filed an election petition Tuesday with the National Labor Relations Board, records show. The group behind the effort, Target Workers Unite, said it decided to move forward after management ignored a petition last month for seniority-based pay raises.

“Target instructs workers to come directly to the company with their issues, that they have an ‘open door policy’ for workers as if they are willing to address our grievances,” the group said in a statement. “After issuing the seniority pay petition Target workers were met with evasive tactics and nonanswers by corporate HR.”

A spokeswoman for the Minneapolis-based company said in a statement that it had already given raises to workers at the Christiansburg store, and touted Target’s “industry-leading starting wage” of $15 to $24 an hour.

“Our team members are at the heart of our strategy and success,” spokeswoman Kayla Castaneda said.

The Target workers are organizing under a local branch of the Industrial Workers of the World.