COLORADO SPRINGS — UFCW Local 7 President Kim Cordova said Tuesday that King Soopers filed a temporary restraining order against union members. Cordova did not detail what the allegations were in her statement, only saying she "strongly disagrees with the unfounded allegations by King Soopers."
She claims the company wants to "stop our freedom of speech and curtail even more of the workers' rights."
King Soopers Spokeswoman Jessica Trowbridge responded to UFCW Local 7 with a statement saying in part that "the court ruled that union’s actions were unlawful and unsafe activities."
She claims that some of the workers at the picket lines have done the following:
- Threatening, blocking, and intimidating both associates and customers who have chosen to cross the picket line.
- Blocking trucks from delivering items to King Soopers stores.
These allegations come after a long weekend of negotiations yielded little progress in the labor dispute between King Soopers and UFCW Local 7.
The parties entered their 5th day of negotiations this morning at 10 A.M., as press releases from both sides continue to blame the other for the slow resolution to their disagreements.
On Sunday, the company detailed how "disappointed," it was in how slow the process was moving, but was "pleased" with the progress. The company further said they will "continue to make themselves available to come to an agreement."
The company also released what it is calling "fact checks" on claims being made by UFCW Local 7.
UFCW Local 7 characterized the situation as a "negotiation breakdown" Tuesday morning, saying that the company "still refuse(s) to address the concerns and needs of our members."
The union says the stalemate is for a number of reasons, not only the "company's failure to pay a livable wage," but also a lack of commitment to "ensuring a safe workplace, protecting healthcare benefits for workers, or withdrawing numerous concessionary proposals designed to replace existing employees with gig workers."
The most recent offer from the company that is publicly available was released January 11, and the company called it their "last, best offer."
The offer contains an investment of $170 million over the next three years, with wage increases as high as $4.50 per hour in the first year, dependent on job classification and tenure.
The offer raises the starting rate of pay to $16 per hour, and according to the company's predictions, would not increase health care premiums through 2025.
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