To shop or not to shop: Customers consider King Soopers strike
ARVADA Colo, (KDVR) — Thursday was the first day of a planned two-week strike for workers at 77 metro-Denver King Soopers stores. For striking workers this means unpaid days on the picket line, for stores it means fewer working employees to stock shelves and help customers, and for those customers it means making a choice about where they shop.
Workers lined streets and sidewalks after failed negotiations between the grocery store chain and the union. UFCW Local 7 President Kim Cordova said the union members are now engaged in an unfair practice strike against the grocery chain. King Soopers President Joe Kelley has says these unfair labor practice claims lack merit have not been ruled on by the National Labor Relations Board.
Everything you need to know about the strike at King Soopers
'[The] only way to handle bullies is to stand up to them and our workers are doing that,' union member Raina Carpenter said.
Now, people who regularly shop at King Soopers have to choose between crossing the picket line or shopping at other stores.
'I don't cross the picket line,' Richard Strauss said. 'I just got out of the car a guy was on the corner and I asked, 'Well, are you guys on strike?' He said, 'Yeah.' I said, 'Oh, OK' and turned around.'
He took his business to the Safeway across the street.
'I just always feel when there's a strike I don't go in,' said Strauss. 'I just feel that way.'
The strike didn't stop other shoppers like Margie Cooper.
'I felt bad in a way, but there are certain things that I can get only here that I need,' she said.
Cooper said she didn't know the strike was kicking off on Thursday.
'I knew it was coming, but I didn't think it would be this soon,' said Cooper.
List: Which 77 King Soopers stores are impacted by the strike?
She, like many other shoppers, hopes an agreement can be reached soon.
'I am hopeful that things will get better,' said Cooper.
This strike is set to go on for two weeks. Cordova said more than 8,500 workers will be on strike across the state Friday when workers at Pueblo stores join Denver-area workers already on strike.
King Soopers stores involved in the strike are hiring temporary workers and limiting store hours to 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. with 30-minute daily closings for lunch at 1 p.m.
Pharmacy hours are also shortened as a result of the strike.
Cordova also said that because union members are striking over work practices instead of money the union could extend the strike.
This decision to strike over unfair labor practices is 'a deliberate attempt to create confusion,' Kelley said.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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