Trader Joe’s stuck with legal fees in union logo case

Bill Wilson

Not only did Trader Joe’s have its case involving trademark violation against union Trader Joe’s United dismissed, but the retailer now must pay the group’s legal fees, reports Huffpost.

U.S. District Judge Hernan Vera dismissed the trademark case back in January, and on Tuesday, he said Trader Joe’s has to cover the more than $112,000 in attorney’s fees for the union.

Vera believes Trader Joe’s would never have filed the trademark lawsuit if it was not also battling the union from expanding its employee coverage at the store level.

“Employers should be discouraged from bringing meritless claims against unions they are challenging at the ballot box,” Vera said.

In January, Vera ruled that Trader Joe’s United's logo did not resemble that of the Monrovia, Calif.-based retailer and could, therefore, continue to be used by the union in marketing and for other purposes. Trader Joe’s United used the logo on tote bags, buttons, mugs, and other products.

In dismissing the suit, Vera said that the lawsuit could almost be interpreted as “frivolous and improper.” He said the union’s designs were not similar to Trader Joe’s trademarks and that the only way consumers could buy any products with the Trader Joe’s United logo was on the union’s website.