Sephora Workers Accuse Union of Harassment After Rejecting Representation

Workers at a Sephora store in Santa Monica, California, are expressing frustration and accusing United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 770 of harassment and bullying following their rejection of union representation. Employees allege that since voting against unionization, the union has filed objections to the election results, leaving the store in limbo and creating a contentious atmosphere.

Employees initiated discussions about unionizing last year, with a formal petition for an election filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in December. However, between January 7 and January 10, a majority of the 25 employees voted against unionization, with 14 casting "no" votes. Despite this outcome, UFCW Local 770 filed objections to the election on January 17, the grounds for which are not publicly detailed on the NLRB's docket.

Workers who opposed the union claim they were subjected to persistent texting and bullying from union representatives in the lead-up to the election. "They kept texting me, texting other girls, making fun of the work we were doing," said Sandra Wael, a team lead. "I told them I’m not interested, and I don’t want them texting me anymore. They still texted me, telling me I should be scared, telling me that my manager was lying to me, telling me stuff that’s not true." Wael also stated that union representatives mocked internal store activities and appeared primarily interested in collecting membership fees.

Leslie Lopez-Santiago, a licensed beauty advisor, did not personally receive direct communication from the union but opposed the effort based on a negative experience at a previous job. She reported hearing from colleagues that the union made "false promises" regarding benefits.

The union's decision to challenge the election results has left employees who voted "no" feeling unheard. "I didn’t understand why we would have a second vote when the majority had already ruled," Lopez-Santiago said. "I thought this was bulls–t."

Patrick Semmens, vice president of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, is providing informal legal assistance to the workers. He noted that workers fear the challenge could lead to another election.

Sephora has stated that the company respects employees' right to decide on unionization through a fair election process and will respect the outcome. The company also affirmed its commitment to supporting employees and maintaining an environment where feedback is heard. Lopez-Santiago disputed claims that Sephora management attempted to influence the vote, asserting that management remained neutral.

The ongoing dispute has created internal tensions and led to staff departures, reducing the store's workforce. Employees report that the uncertainty has impacted morale and operational capacity, with managers unable to hire additional staff to compensate for those who have left. The situation has also delayed personal career advancements for some employees, such as Lopez-Santiago's planned transition to a part-time role eligible for additional benefits, which was put on indefinite hold.

In an effort to resolve the situation, employees sent a petition to UFCW Local 770 during the summer, urging the union to withdraw its election objections and accusing the union of disregarding their decisions. As of the report, the case remains open with the NLRB, nearly nine months after the union filed its objections.