AutoZone White Plains Store Prepares for Historic Union Election

Workers at AutoZone store 2976 in White Plains, New York, are seeking to become the first U.S. AutoZone location to win a union election. The National Labor Relations Board will hold the election on September 25 (scheduled). Eleven employees are eligible to vote for United Auto Workers Local 259.

The Guardian

Employees cite low wages, the absence of holiday pay for part-time staff, and limited job security. Nathan DuConge, a sales associate for two years, described his minimum-wage earnings as “very low.” David Valencia, hired in May 2026, highlighted that part-time workers receive no extra pay for holiday shifts. LaborLab, a nonprofit workers-rights watchdog, estimates AutoZone has spent roughly $200,000 on legal and consulting costs to oppose the drive, based on attorney fees and executive-salary calculations supplied by store employees. AutoZone operates more than 6,800 retail stores nationwide and reported a net income of $2.5 billion for fiscal year 2025.

The Guardian

AutoZone declined comment when contacted. Internal letters circulated to employees warned that union dues could reduce take-home pay and suggested bargaining outcomes were uncertain. Management also deployed regional and corporate managers to the store, and a supervisor promotion was offered to DuConge after he collected enough authorization cards. Workers reported monitoring of social-media activity and a screenshot of CEO Phil Daniele’s Facebook account viewing a union-related story.

The Guardian

• “I just remember that being very low, but I needed it very badly, and so I accepted the job,” — Nathan DuConge

The Guardian

• “When I got my paycheck and saw that they didn’t pay anything extra when part-time employees leave their families for holidays and sacrifice the time that they have with their families to come to work, you don’t get anything extra, any recognition, and that just blew my mind,” — Auto Workers. David Valencia

The Guardian

• “Our goal is to get compensation, job security, just more things that closely reflect the value that we know that we bring to the company. We’re not getting close to what we’re worth,” — Auto Workers. David Valencia

The Guardian

• “They had sent in a whole fleet of managers, they were flying in people from around the country, and it was very bizarre, because even customers were kind of noticing how many managers were in the store,” — Nathan DuConge

The Guardian

• “They were pulling people into the back. They had these long meetings where they would read: ‘Hey, we don’t think that the union is good. Here’s all the reasons why,’” — Nathan DuConge

The Guardian

A union win on September 25 would make the White Plains store the first AutoZone location with a recognized UAW contract, potentially spurring organizing efforts at other stores. Workers expressed optimism that a successful vote could “change things” across the company, while the company’s anti-union campaign suggests a contentious post-election environment.

The Guardian