DENVER — Over 10,000 grocery workers from King Soopers in the Denver area concluded their 12-day strike on Monday. Union officials announced that they had achieved some essential protections for the workers returning to their jobs and agreed to reopen negotiations with the Kroger-owned supermarket chain.
The employees and management had reached an impasse during contract talks, largely centered on issues related to staffing and health care provisions. However, it was the alleged unfair practices used by Kroger during negotiations that triggered the strike at 77 locations throughout Denver and its surrounding areas earlier in the month.
Kim Cordova, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7, stated that the union would return to the negotiation table with an agreement ensuring that Kroger could not implement any proposals for at least 100 days and could not lock out workers during that period. This return-to-work agreement also guarantees that employees will not lose their health care benefits until April. Additionally, Kroger has retracted its claim that its January 16 offer was the “last, best, and final” one.
“We have made significant progress and made it clear that staffing levels are crucial for both workers and customers,” Cordova mentioned on Tuesday. “We are ready to continue our efforts towards securing a fair union contract for ourselves, our customers, and the communities we serve.”
Following the expiration of their contract in mid-January, the union accused King Soopers of actions including interrogating and surveilling its members, withholding information necessary for negotiations, attempting to discipline workers for wearing pro-union attire, and proposing to use $8 million in retiree health benefits funds to support wage increases.
King Soopers has rejected all allegations, asserting that it acted lawfully and met its obligations in collective bargaining. “We are committed to reaching a fair agreement that respects the hard work of our employees while ensuring that we provide fresh and affordable groceries to the families who depend on us,” stated Joe Kelley, president of King Soopers. “We value their commitment and anticipate fruitful discussions in the coming weeks.”
Union representatives indicated that the picket lines were removed on Monday evening to facilitate a smooth return to regular store operations. During the strike, the locations of striking workers remained open but operated under a limited schedule. All stores expect to resume normal operating hours by Thursday.
Cordova added that the recent strike was only the beginning of a broader initiative aimed at increasing staffing levels in grocery stores across the nation.
