Kroger is refusing to integrate newly unionized stores into the union contract, and we won’t stand for it!
After a majority of Kroger associates at five stores (524, 542, 554, 577, and 580) filled out union authorization cards, they are now officially unionized with UFCW Local 400. The next step is to get your union contract, but Kroger is refusing to treat you fairly.
This week, we had three more days of talks with the company about integrating the five newly unionized stores into our existing Richmond/Tidewater union contract. Unfortunately, as they have the previous times we met in May and June, Kroger continues to refuse to integrate the employees at these stores in the same way they did at store 575 in Smithfield when they unionized in 2022.
Members from all five stores participated in the talks and told Kroger management directly that they want and deserve to have the same fair deal as other employees in the Richmond/Tidewater area. Kroger management did not listen. They presented no counter proposals to our integration plan and they continued to talk about having people go backward or have different pay and benefits.
Your union continues to insist that Kroger treat you fairly and equally as other Kroger employees in this area. That means integrating you into the existing agreement the same way that has been done in the past, making sure you:
- Don’t lose pay
- Keep your existing paid time off until the current contract expires
- Receive a pension benefit
- Move to a health insurance plan that you have a say over (not the company plan that Kroger can change at any time without your input)
Kroger needs to stop delaying, respect our voice and our choice, and follow the same process they did at 575 to bring us into the contract with all the other stores in our area.
We have more talks scheduled for August, and we will continue to keep you updated every step of the way.