King Soopers and its workers have so far failed to reach a deal on a new contract.
King Soopers made what it called its “last, best and final offer” to the workers’ union on Thursday night. They say it includes wage increases of $4.50 per hour for top-rate associates, department heads and pharmacy techs; continued pension investment; and adding new roles like sanitation clerks and hourly managers in at least 20 stores over the next four years.
“The company has consistently bargained in good faith … This is the company’s best offer, and we believe it provides meaningful benefits for associates,” King Soopers said in a statement outlining the offer on its website.
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 said those terms aren’t acceptable.
“As of this morning, many of our grocery store workers’ contracts have expired,” UFCW Local 7 President Kim Cordova said in a statement Friday. “It is unfortunate that the negotiations have come to this. We started meeting with the company in October with clear goals of necessary wage increases so workers could afford to live in our state, maintain decent health and retirement benefits, and resolve a staffing crisis that is causing daily strife for workers and customers alike. The company’s proposal fails on all fronts.”
Union leadership contends King Soopers’ proposals don’t include meaningful action to address staffing shortages; permit the company to outsource union jobs to gig workers; take money from health care reserves to fund wage increases; and eliminate seniority-based scheduling protections.
Union leadership is communicating with workers and is in the process of scheduling strike votes, according to the statement. No votes have been held yet. King Soopers workers went on strike three years ago and won significant concessions from management, including raises of as much as $5.99 per hour.
