Negotiations fail between King Soopers and union

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)- The deadline to extend the labor contract between union workers and King Soopers has now passed. The two sides were unable to reach a compromise on new terms, setting the stage for a possible grocery strike in the very near future.

Late last night, the company presented what they called the "Last, Best, and Final Offer." But King Soopers and the union still couldn't come to an agreement.

Friday, KRDO13 talked with Joe Kelley, the division president at King Soopers.

Kelley told us they've had 13 negotiation sessions since October which is why he was extremely disappointed that the contract expired last night." 

The contract was set to expire on the 4th of this month but both parties agreed to extend the deadline to last night at midnight. 

The union represents workers at stores across our region, including in Colorado Springs and Pueblo.

They're asking for better health care and more security. 

The company says their health care is best in class and that safety is a core value for them. Adding that they offered to raise wages. 

"We presented us back on November 4th, which included increased wages, which, even last night, we raise those wages and our final offer to $1.50 a year, one a dollar, a dollar, a dollar, and the remaining three years of the contracts of $4.50 an hour of the cost of the contract," said Kelley.

The union said in a statement "We started meeting with the company in October with clear goals of necessary wage increases so workers could afford to live in our state."

King Soopers said that shoppers would not see any impacts if a strike were to happen.