Colorado King Soopers workers set to strike
DENVER, Colo. (KRDO) -- United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 7 announced plans for King Soopers workers to strike. Negotiations between UFCW Local 7 and the grocery store chain have been ongoing, including the union filing a lawsuit citing unfair labor practices.
Kevin Schneider, a UFCW Local representative previously said workers have taken the brunt of abuse from customers while King Soopers has profited during the pandemic.
In Colorado Springs, 95% of retail workers and 97% of meat workers voted to strike earlier this week.
Thursday, the President of UFCW Local 7 in Colorado and Wyoming and Vice President of UFCW International, which represents 17,000 Essential Grocery workers from Kroger/King Soopers, issued the following statement regarding the strike:
After repeated attempts to bring about an end to King Soopers’ unfair labor practices, which have sought to prevent grocery workers from securing an industry-leading contract, King Soopers has left us with no choice but to call for an unfair labor practice strike. The Company has tried to prevent the workers from standing together with each other in the stores, refused to produce information critical to these negotiations, and failed to bargain in good faith with the Union.
Over the past few months, we have repeatedly pleaded for the Company to listen to the voices of the workers. And yet, King Soopers has refused to recognize our suffering. The Company continues to bring in record profits, while its workforce endures low wages amid a skyrocketing cost of living. Grocery workers ensure that our communities have access to food, but they cannot even afford to feed their own families. King Soopers has chosen to protect its bottom line, instead of protecting workers who have risked their lives every day since the start of this pandemic just by showing up to work.
Our plea is this: Stop these unfair labor practices, and respect us, protect us, and pay us what we deserve. King Soopers refuses to listen. So now we must strike for the rights of all workers. We ask for the support of the community. It is time for us to join with our brothers and sisters across the nation who have said with one voice that the status quo will not stand and that workers will be respected, protected, and paid what they deserve.
We will announce a strike date in the coming days.
Kim Cordova
President of UFCW Local 7 in Colorado and Wyoming and Vice President of UFCW
International
This decision comes hours after King Soopers released a statement proposing a "Comprehensive Best Offer to Settle to UFCW Local 7 that included wage investments and signing bonuses of more than $148 million over the next three years."
“At King Soopers, we want what is best for our associates, and our goal is to continue providing market-competitive wages and benefits that we know are so important to our associates and their families,” stated Joe Kelley, president of King Soopers/City Market. “Meanwhile Local 7 is threatening disruption instead of focusing on what is best for our associates, their members."
The statement also addressed the allegations of unfair labor practices saying, "King Soopers/City Market has followed the law and has NOT received any notice of wrongdoing from the National Labor Relations Board."
UFCW Local 7 hasn't announced when the strike will begin.
