Little Big Burger Employees Reject Union

“As it currently stands,” a union spokesperson says, “the union did not win the election.”

Little Big Burger (Abby Gordon)
By Elise Herron

Workers at Portland-area Little Big Burger restaurants yesterday voted not to unionize.

The Little Big Union first went public in March, and tensions with management quickly grew. In April, the company hired a prominent local firm, Bullard Law, for legal guidance on union activity. And two months later, employees successfully negotiated with the National Labor Relations Board for mail-in elections at every store in Oregon.

Elections took place July 1 through July 23, with ballots going to 109 employees. Near the end of the election, the union alleged an "active union leader" was fired for his organizing activity—a claim the company disputed.

The Portland Mercury first reported the results today.

Those results show that 70 total votes were counted, union spokesperson Hannah Gioia says. 41 workers voted no, 29 voted yes and 12 ballots were contested.

"As it currently stands," Gioia says, "the union did not win the election."

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