King Soopers employees in metro Denver and Boulder will vote Jan. 29 and 30 on authorizing a strike against the supermarket chain.
About 10,000 members of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 will be eligible to vote. The employees’ contract with King Soopers expired Friday, Jan. 17 after the company made what it called its “last, best and final offer.”
Contracts at other Colorado King Soopers and City Market stores, all owned by Kroger, expire in February. Staffing levels and safety are two of the union’s major concerns, said Kim Cordova, president of UFCW Local 7. She said company negotiators have been unwilling to discuss serious issues.
The offer includes provisions on health care and other topics that the union believes are unlawful, Cordova said.
King Soopers said in a statement late last week that it has bargained in good faith with the union since October, has responded to more than 250 requests for information and made multiple proposals on such subjects as wages and benefits.
“However, to date, the Union has failed to put forward a single counter economic proposal on these topics, which are some of the most important bargaining points for our associates,” King Soopers said.
King Soopers’ proposal includes a wage increase of $4.50 an hour over the life of the four-year contract for workers at the top of the pay scale.
Cordova said the company hasn’t provided the data the union needs to address staffing levels. Union leaders contend staffing levels have been inadequate for a while. Departments in stores have to close early because of inadequate staffing, Cordova said. And there aren’t enough people to hang all the tags when prices are changed or stock the shelves, she added.
The union has countered with proposals on health care and pensions, which involve economics, Cordova said.
“Nothing in that contract is good for workers,” Cordova said. “It’s one of the worst proposals I’ve seen in my 40-year career.”
The union is in contract talks this week with Safeway. The union represents about 23,000 workers at King Soopers, City Market, Safety and Albertsons in Colorado and Wyoming.
Updated Jan. 21, 2025, to add proposed wage increase.
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