Virginia Target workers plan to refile petition for union election within next few weeks

Workers at a Target store in Christiansburg, Virginia, plan to refile a petition to hold a union election with the U.S. labor board within the next few weeks after failing to garner enough valid signatures during their first attempt. 

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 (NLRB). 

Adam Ryan, who has been working at Target Virginia store for five years and founded the independent group Target Workers Unite, told FOX Business that they did not meet that threshold because they underestimated the number of employees that worked in the store. They also discovered that some employees put their common name on cards rather than their legal name, which disqualified those individuals. 

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NLRB spokesperson Kayla Blado confirmed that the group withdrew their petition but deferred additional comments to Target Workers Unite. 

Ryan said they are already working to gather more signatures and making sure employees go back and fill out the cards properly. They plan to file again, and it could be as soon as next week, he said. 

Representatives for Target declined to comment. 

The group said it has been pushing to unionize in part because employee pay is not keeping pace with surging costs for staples like food and rent. 

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The rising cost of living "is causing a lot of anxiety and stress. People are stretched too thin. They need more support and compensation," Ryan previously said. 

Veteran Target workers at the store previously petitioned for additional pay for five- and 10-year veterans. However, Target Workers Unite argued in a release that their request was "met with evasive tactics and nonanswers by corporate HR" despite its "open door policy" for workers. 

"Target really likes to portray itself as supportive of workers," Ryan told FOX Business. "When we're exercising our rights and trying to collectively bargain, they are going to retaliate on us like any other anti-worker company out there."

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However, Target previously told FOX Business that the company has "a deep commitment to listening to our team and creating an environment of mutual trust where every team member’s voice matters." 

The company said it pays a starting wage ranging from $15 to $24 per hour and raised that wage at the Christiansburg store last fall, including an increase in wages for longer-tenured workers. 

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