Workers at an AutoZone store in White Plains, New York, are preparing to vote in what could be the first union election at the nation’s largest auto parts retailer. The election is set to begin on September 25, despite efforts by AutoZone to oppose the unionization drive. According to LaborLab, a non-profit organization that monitors workers’ rights, the company has spent approximately $200,000 to resist the effort at the store, based on attorney fees and internal costs. Eleven employees are eligible to vote in the election, which would allow them to join the United Auto Workers Local 259. Nathan DuCongé, a worker at the store for about two years, said the push for unionization began due to low wages and poor working conditions. He became more involved after attending a training session by the Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee and meeting with a union organizer from the United Auto Workers. David Valencia, who started working at the store in May 2026, became interested in the union after he was scheduled to work on the Fourth of July holiday without receiving any holiday pay or bonus. According to the job listing site Indeed, AutoZone only offers paid holidays to eligible full-time employees. DuCongé and Valencia said that AutoZone management became aware of the union effort after the workers collected enough signatures on union authorization cards to file for an election with the National Labor Relations Board. The next day, the store was filled with regional and corporate managers and human resources executives. Initially, management asked how they could help, but later shifted to discouraging unionization after the workers sent a letter announcing their intent to form a union. DuCongé said AutoZone threatened to delay the election by questioning his eligibility and promoted him to a supervisor position. This led to the election petition being withdrawn in late July, but it was later refiled in August. DuCongé shared recordings in which he said his manager told him, “we will accept your invitation to fire you,” though he claims he never suggested such a thing. He also shared a screenshot showing AutoZone CEO Phil Daniele’s Facebook account had viewed one of his stories about the union campaign. AutoZone management has sent letters to workers urging them to vote against the union, citing union dues and warning that wages could go up or down during negotiations. However, the letters did not reference any proposed contract that would reduce pay or explain why either the company or the union would propose such terms. One letter claimed that Local 259 would “destroy the mutual respect, teamwork and culture” at the store. LaborLab, with the help of workers, identified at least 11 corporate executives who visited the store to deter unionization, along with several regional and district managers. This is not the first time AutoZone has faced union efforts—The Teamsters tried to unionize an AutoZone distribution center in the early 1990s, but lost the election. The National Labor Relations Board later ordered a rerun due to AutoZone’s conduct, which included banning union discussions and threatening workers.