A union representing grocery workers in Colorado has announced plans to strike at three Safeway/Albertsons stores, including locations in Estes Park, Fountain, and Pueblo. The strike, which will begin on Sunday, is a result of negotiations that failed to produce a new contract agreement or an extension.
The United Food and Commercial Workers Local7 issued a 72-hour strike notice after a session with the grocery chain failed to yield progress. Union members overwhelmingly approved the strike action in a recent vote, with 99% supporting it.
More workers at stores in Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, Greeley, Loveland, and Longmont are expected to decide on striking or not through a vote scheduled for Monday and Tuesday. The union has previously gone on strike against King Soopers and Kroger grocery chains in February, resulting in a limited contract agreement reached in May.
The current contract expired in January, and the dispute centers on healthcare and pension benefits for active workers and retirees. A spokesperson for Safeway/Albertsons has not commented on the strike yet.
In a statement, Kim Cordova, President of UFCW 7, expressed frustration with the company’s handling of negotiations, stating that it has chosen to rely on King Soopers instead of working with its employees. Monique Trujillo, a Safeway worker from Fountain, described the situation as “unfair labor practices” and said the strike is necessary due to the company’s surveillance and threats against workers.
The proposed buyout between Kroger and Albertsons in 2023 has been blocked by a federal judge in December after the Colorado Attorney General’s Office intervened.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/colorado-grocery-workers-union-plans-strike-stores