Chauncey K. Robinson at People’s World reports from Buena Park, California that usually LEGO is associated with physically building things up, but in this case, workers are accusing the company of tearing down their chances of getting Union Representation. Employees at the Downtown Disney LEGO store claim the company is using illegal Union-Busting tactics and violating their rights. United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 324, the Union that is supporting LEGO Store Workers’ Unionization efforts in Downtown Disney, has filed an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charge against LEGO. The Union alleges LEGO has unlawfully restricted Employees from discussing Unionization at work and “heightened its enforcement of work rules in response to the Workers’ Organizing activities.” Two months ago, the Workers publicly announced their effort to Unionize the flagship LEGO Store. Since that time, the Employees - referred to as “Brick Specialists” in LEGO corporate-speak, have reported the company has attempted to undermine support for forming a Union. A so-called “Labor Educator” has shown up at the store to lobby Employees against the Union. The UFCW alleges this person refuses to tell Workers their last name or who they are employed by. This individual is said to be attempting to meet with Workers at the store one by one, working in “apparent coordination with store managers.” This comes on top of reports LEGO has flown numerous company managers in from out of state to work in the store, despite workers’ complaints that they themselves are blocked from working more than 27 hours per week. Brick Specialist Melissa Gonzalez expressed her frustration with LEGO’s behavior: “We started organizing because we felt like the low pay, lack of benefits and understaffing (were) a fixable problem, and with all the Union Members around us at the Disney Resort, we just wanted equal treatment. I asked for a voice on the job, not a target on my back.” 

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: Brick by brick, LEGO tears down unionization effort at Downtown Disney store – People's World