As you may have seen, on Monday, Kroger announced it would be closing grocery stores in Long Beach, Ca. in retaliation for the city mandating hazard pay for grocery workers. Similarly, a major Seattle grocery chain is pressuring elected leaders to reverse a similar grocery hazard pay mandate recently passed there.
UFCW Local 400 President Mark Federici issued the following statement condemning the company’s decision:
“Kroger’s decision to close two stores rather than provide employees with much-deserved hazard pay is nothing short of despicable. For nearly a year, Kroger workers have served as heroes on the front lines of this pandemic. None of them signed up to risk their lives and the lives of their families to keep food on America’s tables, but when the moment came, each and every one of these brave men and women rose to the occasion. We all owe them a debt of gratitude for their service.
“Indeed, their sacrifice has resulted in billions of dollars in profits for Kroger. But instead of sharing with the people who made those profits possible, Kroger is shamefully choosing greed over gratitude. We will not let this stand.”
Your safety is our top priority. If you have a safety concern at your store, please report it to us so we can take immediate action. As always, please contact your shop steward, union representative, or contact us if you have any questions or need assistance.