Latest news with #Albertsons-owned
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Thousands of Kroger, Albertsons grocery store workers vote to strike
A union representing thousands of workers at Kroger and Albertsons grocery stores have voted to strike. After five months at the bargaining table, the United Food & Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) 3000 union voted to reject their employers' latest contract by more than 97%. The union represents nearly 30,000 grocery employees at Kroger-owned stores like Fred Meyer and QFC, and Albertsons-owned stores like Safeway. 'We authorized a strike to fight for better wages, better staffing, and a fully funded healthcare plan so that we can deliver the kind of service our customers deserve,' said Vickie Logerstedt, a cashier at Redmond Ridge QFC. 'We have been more than patient for months, but these companies have offered nothing but crumbs and mealy language. Time has run out.' The workers were asking the grocery chains for better wages, more staffing and improved healthcare. UFCW 3000's member-led bargaining team started contract negotiations with Kroger and Albertsons in January of 2025. The three-year contract covering Kroger and Albertsons grocery store workers in much of the Puget Sound area ended in May, but both parties agreed on a short contract extension to help reach an agreement. Kroger told KIRO 7 on the day of the vote that it believes it's offering a great deal and said: 'We remain actively engaged in bargaining with UFCW 3000 because we believe the best outcomes are achieved at the table, not through disruption.' It should be noted that a strike authorization vote does not mean a strike will occur. 'A strike at this stage is an unnecessary and disruptive action—especially given the meaningful wage increases and industry-leading healthcare we're offering at the bargaining table,' said Todd Kammeyer, president of Fred Meyer. 'We remain committed to continuing negotiations in good faith and urge union leadership to do the same.' Another round of negotiations is scheduled for June 12 and 13. The contract extension agreement can be unilaterally terminated with a 72-hour notice, and a strike could not begin until after the 72-hour notice has run out. Kroger told KIRO 7 it believes it's offering a great deal and said: 'We remain actively engaged in bargaining with UFCW 3000 because we believe the best outcomes are achieved at the table, not through disruption.' A union spokesperson told KIRO 7 that all sides will return to the bargaining table on June 12-13, and workers are hoping this vote can send a message. Fred Meyer and QFC will remain open.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Supermarket union ‘ready to support' unionization at Whole Foods in Lancaster or elsewhere after Philadelphia win
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — Not one supermarket in the 11 central Pennsylvania counties covered by abc27 News is unionized. But with unionized supermarket workers to the west and east — including now at the first-ever union-organized Whole Foods in Philadelphia — could that change? The leader of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776 union, which supported the effort to organize a store in Philadelphia's Spring Garden neighborhood — by a 130-100 vote Monday — said Tuesday the union is ready to back workers at central Pennsylvania's only Whole Foods (along Fruitville Pike in Lancaster) if they choose to follow the lead of the Philadelphia workers. 'UFCW is ready to support workers whenever and wherever they choose to unionize,' said Wendell Young IV, Local 1776's president. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Young drew a comparison between the union's approach and that of Amazon-owned Whole Foods, which he said tried in Philadelphia and tries elsewhere to intimidate workers into not organizing. Asked to comment on the prospect of the Lancaster store or others unionizing, Whole Foods said in a statement it 'is proud to offer competitive compensation, great benefits, and career advancement opportunities to all team members. We are disappointed by the outcome of this election, but we are committed to maintaining a positive working environment in our Philly Center City store.' Pennsylvania restaurants named among most romantic for Valentine's Day Young said UFCW Local 1776 represents about 35,000 workers, including about 20,000 supermarket workers, in Pennsylvania. But none of them are in Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin, Perry or York counties, where the dominant chains like Carlisle-based Giant and Sunbury-based Weis markets are fully non-union companies. In western Pennsylvania, Giant Eagle workers, most notably, are UFCW members. To the east, workers at chains like ShopRite and Albertsons-owned Acme are unionized. Next, the Philadelphia Whole Foods workers will have to negotiate their first collective bargaining agreement. Young said the union will play 'hardball' with demands for higher pay and more generous benefits. More broadly, he said UFCW has been hearing from more workers nationally, which he attributed to enthusiasm related to the successful Whole Foods effort in Philadelphia as well as fears related to the new presidential administration. Young, like many although not all labor leaders, characterized the Trump administration as likely to be more anti-labor than the Biden administration. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
