COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — King Soopers Local 7 members will get the chance to voice their opinion on a looming strike on Friday as the union continues to battle with the grocer.
On Thursday, the Denver, Boulder, Broomfield and Parker units authorized a strike. Meetings for Local 7 members in Colorado Springs are taking place Friday at 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the DoubleTree along Cheyenne Mountain Boulevard. Voting for Pueblo members is scheduled for Saturday at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. in the Convention Center.
King Soopers highlighted the following in their "Last Best and Final Offer."
- This strong offer promises to support, protect and invest in the interests of their valued associates.
- The offer will provide a $4.50 per hour increase for Top Rate Clerks, Department Heads, and Pharmacy Techs over the life of the 4-year contract. This breaks down to $1.50/hour increase in Year 1 and $1.00/hour increases in Years 2, 3, and 4.
- The Company has a proven track record of investing in associates. If this offer is ratified, King Soopers will invest up to 23% in wage increases over the life of the new contract for their most tenured associates. This investment reflects King Soopers’ commitment to foster the growth and advancement of its associates, enabling them to forge a rewarding career within the Company.
“There are multiple Unfair Labor Practice charges we have filed against King Soopers over the last several months. These range from illegal intimidation of workers by the employer to the employer’s failure to provide needed information on staffing to allow for the union to prepare a comprehensive proposal to resolve the staffing crisis in King Soopers’ stores,” said Kim Cordova, President of UFCW local 7. “Kroger negotiators have illegally insisted on robbing retiree health care benefits to fund wage increases for workers today. Sadly, this Company’s targeting of fixed-income retirees and other vulnerable populations only compounds its history of targeting consumers with predatory pricing.”
News5 spoke one-on-one with the Division President for Kroger Joe Kelley. Kroger is the parent company of King Soopers.
"Unfortunately, they're spending more time with the rhetoric out there in the press, and unfortunately, the record that should be set straight is they've had a Last, Best and Final offer from us since the first week in January," Kelley explained. "The union and the local president, Kim Cordova, have a responsibility to present that offer to the associates, her members, and let them vote on it. Unfortunately, she hasn't done that. Instead, for whatever her reason is in her agenda, she's taking a strike vote on this so-called unfair labor practice."
Kelley added the National Labor Relations Board decides on unfair labor practices, and they haven't made any type of decision on the dispute between Local 7 and King Soopers.
The union claims King Soopers is only focused on pay, but there are other issues they would like addressed including staffing and safety.
“I have worked at King Soopers for seven years, and we have been in negotiations since October to reach a new contract. Staffing in our stores is at an unsustainable level. Workers are asked to do the job of two or three people leading to bare shelves and long lines. Kroger has prevented us from reaching a contract as a result of their Unfair Labor Practices. The Company has left us no choice other than to call a strike,” said Conor Hall, a Deli Clerk from Boulder, Colorado. “We hope that this gives us an opportunity to raise our concerns to the public because they have been falling on deaf ears with the employer.”
Kelley explained King Soopers has very close relationships with law enforcement and fire departments, they also have "constant de-escalation training" in their stores. Kelley claims that Cordova's points on safety aren't legitimate. Kelley believes a strike only hurts all of the employees and the community.
"When I said already that nobody wins in a strike, and I stepped right out of the gates with our associates, based on the hardship it creates, standing out in front of the stores, holding picket signs. It's affecting their livelihood," Kelley said of his employees. "It's also affecting the stress on themselves and their families as it relates to their pocketbook, but at the same time, it also affects our communities and it affects our customers. We're there to fulfill a need which is to deliver a great shopping experience in a community and support those communities. We will keep these stores open."
It still isn't clear what kind of impact the customers could experience during a strike.
The following stores in Colorado Springs have Local 7 members, according to the union:
COLORADO SPRINGS (10 stores)
Store #6
1750 W. Uintah, Colorado Springs
Store #98
6030 Stetson Hills Blvd, Colorado Springs
Store #53
6930 N. Academy, Colorado Springs
Store #103
2910 South Academy, Colorado Springs
Store #58
815 Cheyenne Meadows, Colorado Springs
Store #119
9225 North Union Blvd, Colorado Springs
Store #76
3570 Hartsel Drive, Colorado Springs
Store #130
3620 Austin Bluff Parkway, Colorado Springs
Store #133
3250 Centennial Blvd, Colorado Springs
Store #134
7915 Constitution, Colorado Springs
PUEBLO
Store #43
102 West 29th St, Pueblo
Store #12
3050 W. Northern, Pueblo
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