Dollar General was found by the National Labor Relations Board on Monday to have “clearly intended to interfere” with workers’ rights to unionize at a Connecticut store, according to AP News. After a 2021 effort to unionize by Connecticut employees, it was reported that the company sent corporate officials to prevent the process.

Among the complaints against the company are wrongful termination, threats to shut down a location and a requirement for employees to attend meetings that campaigned against unionizing.

“The unfair labor practices herein involve individuals at the highest levels of Dolgen management,” judge Arthur J. Amchan wrote. “They were also committed pursuant to a corporate policy as to how to deal with organizing efforts by Dollar General employees.”

The discount store has also faced multiple penalties over the years for safety violations including electrical hazards and obstructed fire exits. The Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has proposed over $21 million in fines since 2017, after 240 store inspections across the country.

Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker said in a statement, “As one of the nation’s largest retailers, the company must focus its attention on resolving these issues and making corporate-wide changes to protect the safety and well-being of the people they employ.”

Dollar General was in settlement talks earlier this year with federal regulators after being found with multiple violations of workplace safety rules, as reported by NACS Daily.

The key to loyalty among customers is loyalty among employees. Are your c-store employees happy with your operation? Read “Happy Workers, Happy Customers” from the April 2022 issue of NACS Magazine to understand the relationship between the two.