Former Portland Trader Joe’s employee sues company, saying she was fired after questioning Black Lives Matter policy

In the wake of the killing of George Floyd last year and the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, Portland Trader Joe’s employee Sydney Satre said she wanted to make the grocery store “a better place to work and shop.”

“I felt that Trader Joe’s was creating a hostile work environment for Black employees, and I wanted Trader Joe’s to change.” Satre said Friday. “I wanted Trader Joe’s to behave consistently with their public messages of support for Black Lives Matter and Black employees.”

In October, after Trader Joe’s told employees they couldn’t wear messages of any kind while on the job, Satre decided to write a letter to the corporate office, expressing her concern. In response to the letter, Satre’s suit said, she was fired from her job at the store on Southeast Cesar Chavez Boulevard.

Satre filed suit against the company Wednesday, saying her firing was whistleblower retaliation and associational race discrimination.

Tim Martin, a regional manager, and Sarah Wilson, a supervisor, are also named in the suit.

In the suit, filed in Oregon circuit court in Multnomah County, Satre’s attorney asked for $350,000, along with her costs and attorneys’ fees.

Trader Joe’s did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

According to the filing, Satre was terminated from her job after sending a letter to Martin.

In the letter, Satre criticized the company’s delayed statement after Floyd’s death, as well as the decision not to display the phrase “Black Lives Matter” in stores.

In October, according to Satre’s letter, employees were told they couldn’t wear pins with logos, symbols or statements. The reason given was the contentious election, Satre said in her letter to the corporate office, but Satre said she believed it was an attempt to stop people from wearing Black Lives Matter pins.

Satre’s termination notice from Trader Joe’s doesn’t appear to dispute that Satre was fired because of the letter.

According to the termination notice, provided to the Oregonian by Satre’s attorney, Satre’s performance was found “unsatisfactory or unacceptable” because of her letter.

“Within the letter, you share that you are disheartened and judge our actions related to social justice inadequate,” the termination letter reads. “You state we don’t practice what we preach in our Values and taking a neutral stance on Black Lives Matter. Trader Joe’s strongly disagrees with your statements. It is clear from your letter that you do not support Trader Joe’s nor like working for the company. For this reason, we will be processing your separation from Trader Joe’s effective immediately.”Satre said she was “shocked” to be fired after sending the letter.

“There was no indication that sharing the letter would lead to me being fired,” she said. “I was encouraged to bring my feedback to Trader Joe’s management and I was told it was a safe space to share my concerns.

“Even our employee handbook says that Trader Joe’s will not retaliate against employees who bring their concerns to management. Unfortunately, that wasn’t true.”

In February, Trader Joe’s fired an employee in New York after he sent a letter to the corporate office asking for better safety measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. The employee was reinstated earlier this month.