PUEBLO — After 13 hours of negotiations over three days, King Soopers and United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 7 have reached a return-to-work agreement, effectively ending the recent strike.
What began as a labor dispute escalated into a strike, leaving many stores understaffed and impacting families who rely on these stores for their daily needs. The resolution allows workers to return to their jobs, restoring operations to normalcy.
Marilyn Krall, a frequent shopper, avoided King Soopers during the strike and chose to shop elsewhere.
"My husband was a union worker, so I respect that situation," stated Krall. "I hope that the employees naturally are able to get what they deserve."
Similarly, Stacy Shurmand and Mona Gallegos who shop at King Soopers two to three times per week, noticed a significant reduction in fresh produce, meats, and bakery items.
"We had a little tip to check the date on everything that was left to make sure because there wasn’t anybody alternating the food," they shared.
King Soopers has confirmed that some employees returned to work on Tuesday, with others expected to return in the coming days. However, both the union and the company have until the end of May to finalize a long-term agreement.
Joe Kelley, President of King Soopers, expressed a willingness to negotiate further.
"We're willing to test any ideas that the union may have in five or ten stores, but we need them to put a comprehensive staffing package in front of us so we can react to it. I'm hopeful they'll bring that with them," stated Kelley.
Kim Cordova, President of UFCW Local 7, emphasized the union’s priorities.
"We want a contract that allows workers to buy the food in their own stores, live in the city in which they work, and clock out in the same condition they came in. We want a safe workplace and an environment with reasonable workload and proper staffing in those stores," explained Cordova.
The next bargaining session is scheduled for the end of the month, with both parties expressing optimism about reaching a deal before the 100-day grace period concludes.
"I respect their right to strike. I said that from the very beginning, they need to do what's right for them and their family. There will be zero retaliation. We welcome everyone back, and let’s get back into the stores and serve our customers and communities," added Kelley.
Cordova also addressed concerns regarding replacement workers and previous conflicts between employees and the company.
"Some of the concerns, which we addressed in the agreement, included ensuring that the company would not retain replacement workers brought in from staffing agencies during the strike. Additionally, the company cannot retaliate against returning employees. Part of this strike was about unfair labor practices, which are still pending with the National Labor Relations Board due to retaliation and threatening behavior by King Soopers before the strike," explained Cordova.
With the agreement in place and ongoing negotiations, both King Soopers and UFCW Local 7 remain focused on reaching a resolution that benefits employees and restores stability for shoppers.
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