Employees from 10 King Soopers stores in the Colorado Springs area have voted to authorize a strike against the grocer, joining union employees in the metro Denver area who also voted to strike on Thursday. The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7, which represents the workers, is advocating for adequate hours and increased safety measures.
According to the union, workers are concerned about inadequate hours that leave them insufficient time to complete tasks, leading to health risks such as cross-contamination in food areas. They also point to a lack of proper training for new employees due to overstaffing, according to some union representatives.
King Soopers’ president Joe Kelley denied claims of staffing issues being addressed and instead stated that the company is more staffed now than four years ago. However, service managers at different locations expressed concerns about store safety and staffing, with one saying they fear the company will take away hours to make up for lost productivity.
The union also cited the lack of transparency in addressing health and safety concerns, including a recent shooting incident at a Colorado Springs King Soopers location that led to calls for improved emergency response protocols.
Workers are seeking better pay, increased safety measures, and more adequate working conditions. The strike could affect over 10,000 workers if Pueblo follows suit with the Colorado Springs area.
Source: https://gazette.com/business/king-soopers-employees-allege-unfair-labor-practices-as-colorado-springs-stores-vote-to-strike/article_306a99b6-e007-11ef-b7bf-574d6728baf9.html