Latest news with #UFCWLocal7
CBS News
a day ago
- Business
- CBS News
Colorado Safeway union workers agree to go on strike
The United Food Commercial Workers Local 7 said union members in Colorado have agreed to go on strike. This comes after a 2-day voting period where union members agreed to strike and after nine months of negotiations. The Local 7 union is accusing Albertsons, which owns Safeway, of unfair labor practices by not offering retroactive wage increases and cutting out the union when addressing employee grievances. The union also wants better pay and health care. CBS This comes as contract negotiations between the workers and King Soopers are happening at the same time. King Soopers and its workers have until June 8 to hammer out a new deal. "Both of these big groceries, they are just big bullies," said UFCW Local 7 President Kim Cordova. "They are just bullies at the table, and they are consolidating their power again to control the labor market for grocery store workers." Safeway released this statement: Safeway in Colorado remains committed to productive discussions with UFCW Local 7 and we have contract extensions in place while we do so. We respect the rights of workers to engage in collective bargaining and are negotiating in good faith to achieve an agreement. Our focus remains on providing exceptional service to our customers and fostering a positive working environment for our associates. All Safeway and Albertsons stores in Colorado are open and ready to continue serving our communities. The Local 7 union had to give 72 hours' notice before striking. The strike would affect Safeway stores in the Denver metro area. For now, Local 7 says workers will report as normal until a strike begins.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Consumer Reports: King Soopers is over-charging an average of 18% on some items
DENVER (KDVR) — Undercover shoppers found multiple cases of grocery items that led to higher prices paid by shoppers in some Kroger and Kroger-owned stores. In March, April and May, undercover shoppers went to 26 Kroger and Kroger-owned stores across 14 states and the District of Columbia to investigate claims that the grocery giant put incorrect price tags on items. The investigation was conducted by Consumer Reports, The Guardian and the Food and Environment Reporting Network. 2 Colorado zoos among 10 best in US: Newsweek Readers' Choice 'The shoppers found expired sales labels that led to overcharges on more than 150 grocery items, including Cheerios cereal, Mucinex cold and flu medication, Nescafé instant coffee, boneless beef, salmon, and dog food,' Consumer Reports wrote. 'One-third of the expired sales tags were out of date by at least 10 days, and the prices of five of the products were expired by at least 90 days. The average overcharge we found was $1.70 per item, or 18.4 percent. Our findings suggest the typical Kroger shopper ends up paying far more for what they think are discounted items — all during a time of inflation and economic uncertainty.' A King Soopers spokesperson provided a statement on behalf of Kroger to FOX31 about the report, stating: 'The Consumer Reports allegations boil down to misinformation, reviewing a handful of discrete issues from billions of daily transactions. It in no way reflects the seriousness with which we take our transparent and affordable pricing.' UFCW Local 7, the union that represents thousands of Colorado grocery store workers, said the Consumer Reports investigation was launched after the union conducted its investigation of chronic understaffing in stores. The union claims the understaffing led to 'rampant over-charging and inaccuracy in prices paid at the register in Colorado grocery stores.' 'Consumer Reports has confirmed what workers have been telling King Soopers and City Market for months now – that chronic understaffing in grocery stores prevents the company from making sure the prices on the shelves match the price a customer is paying at the register. When Kroger dictates that workers' hours be cut in these stores, it is customers who pay the price,' said Kim Cordova, UFCW Local 7 President, in a union release. 'Now is the time for consumers to tell Kroger executives that the public does not want to pay for Kroger's understaffing problem.' Consumer Reports said that, according to complaints and shopper reports, King Soopers employees worked quickly to correct pricing errors that were shared, but that many other errors 'undoubtedly go unnoticed.' Denver metro grocery stores ranked among worst in nation 'In a typical week, Kroger asks us to hang thousands of new and updated tags throughout the store reflecting price changes on thousands of products. Yet because so few hours are scheduled to hang these tags, the work of hanging each week's tags almost never gets done before the next week's tags arrive,' said Joy Alexander, a scan coordinator at a Denver King Soopers, in the union's release on the report. The report found that stores where the undercover shoppers didn't find any or fewer price tag errors also had noticeably fewer staffing cuts and reduced working hours. In stores with significant numbers of price tag errors, the average number of employees was down by about 17 employees per store, with hours cut by 9.9% or about 2.7 hours. Stores with fewer errors had an average of 9.5 employees cut, and average hours reduced by 9.3% or about 2.4 hours per week. Consumer Reports said Colorado employees and union officials say the overcharging has created angry customers, 'with some taking out their frustrations on cashiers and other front-of-the-store employees.' However, the employees say a base-level push to correct expired discount tags was never conducted. 'They go: 'Just take care of the customer, deal with it, and we'll fix it later on.' And that never happens,' said Chris Lacey, a King Soopers service manager in Colorado, in Consumer Reports' article. The union said Kroger responded to the Consumer Reports story by announcing the hiring of about 15,000 workers but didn't specify if the hirings are for new positions or turnover. In its release, Kroger said it was 'seeking to hire new associates.' Kroger sent a press release to FOX31 on Thursday announcing a new store opening in Frederick, but the release did not discuss any hirings related to the opening. On its job posting site, Kroger listed several new positions throughout the week. Finance giant TIAA cutting dozens of Denver jobs, closing skyscraper office location Consumer reports said Colorado King Soopers stores failed price check tests performed by state regulators twice since January 2025. 'Indeed, a senior Kroger executive questioned 'why are tags not being done,' in a meeting with Colorado union representatives in January, according to minutes of that meeting,' Consumer Reports said. ''If we are not getting the job done, that is a different problem for us,' the Kroger executive said.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Miami Herald
21-04-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
UFCW Local 7 files counterclaims against King Soopers
Dive Brief: United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 is accusing King Soopers of acting in "bad faith" and violating the 100-day stand-down agreement the two sides agreed to following a nearly two-week strike earlier this Kroger-owned banner set an arbitrary date for an offer that expired before the stand-down's scheduled expiration at the end of May, UFCW Local 7 said in papers it filed Thursday in response to a lawsuit filed by King Soopers in February. As a result of Kroger's actions, the union and its members have suffered damages including potential lost wages and benefits for workers, according to the counterclaim. Dive Insight: When UFCW Local 7 and representatives for the grocery chain met in mid-March, King Soopers proposed two nearly identical offers, "Offer A" and "Offer B". "Offer A," which offered greater wage increases for some workers, would expire if not ratified by April 12 - a date that would fall before a scheduled negotiating session in mid-April and be more than a month ahead of the stand-down's expiration, the union claims. When April 12 passed without an agreement, King Soopers withdrew its earlier offer and "instead made clear that it would only offer a new, more concessionary proposal," according to the counterclaim. "By setting an arbitrary deadline and unilaterally implementing a change in its proposals on this arbitrary date, King Soopers has frustrated the bargaining process in contradiction of its promise not to engage in such actions through the 100-day period in the Agreement," UFCW Local 7 said in the filing. King Soopers did not respond by press time to a request for comment. The counterclaim comes two months after King Soopers sued UFCW Local 7 for allegedly trying to force the grocer into unlawful multi-union bargaining in the fall and violating the National Labor Relations Act with a "continuing pattern of threatening, coercive, and restraining actions." UFCW Local 7 has called the lawsuit "baseless" and denied the allegations that it forced the grocer to bargain with other union locals. In early April, UFCW Local 7 asked the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado to dismiss King Soopers' suit. The legal battle follows unsuccessful collective bargaining negotiations for new contracts and a nearly two-week strike covering approximately 10,000 unionized workers across nearly 80 King Soopers stores in Colorado in early February. UFCW Local 7 represents approximately 11,000 King Soopers and City Market workers. King Soopers and the union ended the strike with an agreement to keep bargaining and negotiate in good faith, with the union agreeing it would not take any more strike actions for 100 days and King Soopers agreeing not to unilaterally implement any changes in the contract. "We agreed to end the strike and return to work and have labor peace for 100 days. The employer's side of that agreement was that they would not implement any new terms without our agreement, lock-out workers, and would negotiate in good faith. They have failed in that commitment," UFCW Local 7 President Kim Cordova said in a statement. Cordova said King Soopers violated the good faith bargaining process by giving the union "an ultimatum." The union claims King Soopers needs to address issues such as staffing, safety, raises and benefits, Cordova added. Copyright 2025 Industry Dive. All rights reserved.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
King Soopers strike will end at midnight Monday; negotiations to restart
DENVER (KDVR) — UFCW Local 7, the union representing 10,000 grocery workers on strike at King Soopers across Colorado, announced Monday night that it secured a return-to-work settlement for the striking workers. According to the union, the settlement will allow the union to return to the bargaining table with Kroger, which owns King Soopers, while ensuring Kroger cannot implement any offer for at least 100 days and will not lock workers out during the return-to-work settlement. Union rejects negotiation agreement with King Soopers 'This will give us the time to ensure we get what we need to make a staffing proposal and take action to protect our retirees,' UFCW Local 7 said in a release sent Monday night. The union said the settlement also guarantees that no workers will lose healthcare in April 2025 'because of the employer's forced ULP (unfair labor practices) strike,' according to the Monday night release. Additionally, the union said this means Kroger's 'Last, Best and Final Offer' is no longer such. 'The Union and the Company are working to identify dates to return to the bargaining table and have agreed to spend the next 100 days focusing on trying to reach an agreement,' UFCW Local 7 said Monday night. King Soopers said the agreement reflects the company's appreciation for its associates and commitment to serving local families. Previous: Workers at these Denver area grocery stores will be on strike starting Thursday 'Our associates are more than just employees—they are the heart of King Soopers, and we recognize the challenges they have faced,' said Joe Kelley, president of King Soopers/City Market. 'Securing this agreement was about restoring certainty, not just for our business, but for the people who make it possible. It also ensures that eligible associates who were unable to meet hourly requirements due to the work stoppage will continue to receive their industry-leading, affordable healthcare coverage, fully funded by the Company to maintain continuity. We remain committed to securing a long-term contract that supports our associates, benefits our customers, and strengthens the communities we so proudly serve.' King Soopers said the union has committed to removing all picket lines and resuming normal business operations as of Feb. 19 from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Pharmacies will also reopen at usual times, the grocery giant said. The company said both parties 'agreed to a 100-day period of labor peace' to ensure good faith contract negotiations. 'Our focus remains on reaching a fair agreement that honors their hard work while ensuring we continue to provide fresh, affordable groceries for the families who rely on us. We appreciate their dedication and look forward to productive discussions in the weeks ahead,' Kelley said. The announcement comes after the union rejected a new proposal on Friday, citing concerns for workers' healthcare access. 'We have taken a big step forward and ensured that Kroger knows that staffing is a key concern to workers and customers alike,' said UFCW Local 7 President Kim Cordova in a provided statement. 'We will go back to the bargaining table and continue our fight for a fair union contract for us, our customers and the communities we serve. 'This strike was about thousands of everyday grocery store workers, collectively standing together and facing one of the largest corporations in America and saying ENOUGH. Our strike was just the beginning of this effort and elevated staffing in grocery stores to a national level with more workers and allies joining together. Just like our successful campaign to stop the mega grocery merger, we won't stop until we win Better Staffing and Better Stores for grocery store workers and customers.' King Soopers said prior to the strike that its offer would put more money into workers' paychecks while keeping grocery prices down. Meanwhile, UFCW Local 7 leaders said the offer 'failed to engage on the most important Union proposals.' In an update shared on Facebook to union members, UFCW Local 7 said it ensured Kroger 'knows that staffing is a key concern to workers and customers alike,' and said the strike was just the beginning of the union's fight for a fair contract. The strike impacted 77 Colorado stores and began on Feb. 6. It was scheduled to last two weeks, which would have concluded on Feb. 20. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
18-02-2025
- Business
- CBS News
King Soopers, Colorado workers union reach return-to-work settlement to end strike in the state
Both King Soopers and UFWC Local 7, the union representing the workers on a labor stoppage, announced separately the strike has ended Monday night in Colorado. A return-to-work settlement was met between both parties. According to the Local 7 press release, negotiations will reconvene between the two parties, and, "UFCW Local 7 has secured a return-to-work settlement for all striking workers." The union said in its release verbatim the following terms have been agreed upon between King Soopers and Local 7 while negations continue: A return to the Bargaining Table with an agreement that Kroger cannot implement any offer for at least 100 days, and will not lock workers out during this time. This will give us the time to ensure we get what we need to make a staffing proposal and take action to protect our retirees A return-to-work with an agreement that provides for a guarantee that no worker will lose their healthcare for April 2025 because of the employer's forced ULP Strike An agreement by the Company that its January 16, 2025, offer is no longer a "Last, Best, and Final' offer. The Union and the Company are working to identify dates to return to the bargaining table and have agreed to spend the next 100 days focusing on trying to reach an agreement Both King Soopers and UFCW Local 7 shared full statements Monday night in response to the end of the strike -- what King Soopers is calling a "Return to Work and Peaceful Relations Agreement." "Our associates are more than just employees -- they are the heart of King Soopers, and we recognize the challenges they have faced," said Joe Kelley, President of King Soopers/City Market, in the King Soopers press release. "Securing this agreement was about restoring certainty, not just for our business, but for the people who make it possible. It also ensures that eligible associates who were unable to meet hourly requirements due to the work stoppage will continue to receive their industry-leading, affordable healthcare coverage, fully funded by the Company to maintain continuity. We remain committed to securing a long-term contract that supports our associates, benefits our customers, and strengthens the communities we so proudly serve." "We have taken a big step forward and ensured that Kroger knows that staffing is a key concern to workers and customers alike," said Kim Cordova, the president of UFCW Local 7, in the union's press release. "We will go back to the bargaining table and continue our fight for a fair union contract for us, our customers and the communities we serve. This strike was about thousands of everyday grocery store workers, collectively standing together and facing one of the largest corporations in America and saying ENOUGH. Our strike was just the beginning of this effort and elevated staffing in grocery stores to a national level with more workers and allies joining together. Just like our successful campaign to stop the mega grocery merger, we won't stop until we win Better Staffing and Better Stores for grocery store workers and customers."
