Negotiations on our next Richmond/Tidewater union contract with Kroger have begun. We have met with company representatives over Zoom video conference and and we made our goals clear:
- Safe working conditions
- Better pay
- Sick leave
- Adequate staffing to serve our customers
- Hands off our health care!
Despite everything we have been through over the last 16 months, Kroger appears likely to insist on a company-controlled health care plan as they have in other parts of the country.
Under a company plan, we would lose any say in our health care coverage, including the costs and benefits. Kroger could eliminate benefits or raise costs at any time without your input. Kroger can’t get our schedules right, they couldn’t enforce safety provisions during the pandemic, how can we trust them with our health care?
After a year spent on the frontlines of a pandemic, risking our lives and the lives of our families to keep these stores open, Kroger is asking us to give up control of our health care, putting our benefits at risk and potentially raising costs out of our pocket. Every single store under this contract has improved sales. Across the country, Kroger has increased profits 90%. This is simply not a time for us to accept potential cuts to our benefits.
We are gathering signatures on a petition to Kroger to make our message clear: hands off our health care! Talk to your shop steward or union representative to add your name to the petition today.