Summary：**Angry Minneapolis Warehouse Workers Say Sony Closed Facility Hours Before Union Talks** *MINNEAPO

**Angry Minneapolis Warehouse Workers Say Sony Closed Facility Hours Before Union Talks**
*MINNEAPOLIS — Employees at Kings Road Merch say they never expected their jobs to disappear just hours before contract negotiations were set to begin.*

**Introduction**
On Tuesday morning, roughly 120 staff members arrived at the Sony‑owned Kings Road Merch distribution center in Minneapolis only to find the doors locked and a notice posted announcing an immediate shutdown. The timing—just a few hours before scheduled union talks with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU)—has sparked outrage among workers who describe the site as a refuge for “weirdos and outsiders.” Cesar Esparza, a five‑year veteran of the facility, told local reporters, “This is a place for weirdos and outsiders, and now they’ve pulled the rug out from under us without warning.”

**Key Developments**
Sony confirmed the closure in a brief statement, citing “strategic realignment of its North American logistics network.” The company said the decision was made after a review of operational costs and did not comment on the proximity to union negotiations. Workers, however, allege the move was a pre‑emptive tactic to undermine collective bargaining. Union representatives filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB