Denver-area grocery workers return to work after 9-day strike ends

DENVER (CN) — After nine days on the picket line, UFCW Local 7 announced its 8,000 Denver-area grocery store workers would return to work after reaching a tentative agreement with King Soopers and City Market, owned by supermarket giant Kroger.

“We didn’t ask for this fight, but the company chose to put profits over people for so long and failed to listen to the workers who made its success possible,” said Kim Cordova, president of UFCW Local 7 in a statement.

“After months of negotiations and after our members walked out on strike, we have reached a tentative agreement with King Soopers/City Market that addresses the company’s unfair labor practices and ensures that our members will receive the respect, pay, and protection they warrant," Cordova said.

Ninety-five percent of UFCW Local 7 members working at King Soopers and City Market stores voted to strike this month and walked out at 5 a.m. on Jan. 12. At issue, workers said, were fair wages, work safety and respect.

The two sides split over increases in pension, allowing tips for Starbucks and grocery pickup workers, and holiday pay rates. The union plans to release the new contract publicly Monday after it has been reviewed by members.

On wage increases, King Soopers offered wage increases of 13 cents to $1, while the union requested a $6 wage bump across the board, plus $1.50 increases in second and third years.

Colorado's minimum wage is $12.56.

By MIT’s Living Wage Calculator, a single person needs to make at least $17.40 an hour to live in Denver. Two adults with two children who are both working need to make at least $24.81 each.

A white paper published by Economic Roundtable recommends paying Kroger workers $45,760 annually, or $22 an hour for a 40-hour work week. The report, which surveyed 10,000 workers in Washington state, Colorado and Southern California, estimated 14% of the grocery giant’s workers are homeless or were unhoused in the last year, including 9% of full-time workers.

The union’s cry to boycott the chain during the strike was supported vocally by the Denver School Board, State Treasurer David Young and Attorney General Philip Weiser. Thousands of miles away, progressive champion and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont chimed in, writing a letter to Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen in support of the workers’ demands.

“Mr. McMullen: During the pandemic, you received a $6.4 million increase in total compensation (a 45% pay raise) and now make over $20 million,” Sanders wrote. “Your company is making record-breaking profits that are expected to exceed $4 billion last year alone. Kroger has provided over $1.5 billion in stock buybacks and dividends to enrich wealthy shareholders.

“It is time for Kroger to go back to the negotiating table and reach an agreement with the union that is fair and that treats grocery store workers with the respect and the dignity that they deserve,” Sanders concluded.

Representatives from Kroger did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In a lawsuit filed Tuesday, however, the grocery chain claimed the picket line was disrupting business.

Denver District Judge Marie Avery Moses quickly issued a temporary restraining order limiting picket lines to 10 persons, and laying out ground rules for avoiding conflict on store grounds. As of Friday morning, the case remained on the docket with a preliminary injunction hearing scheduled for Jan. 28.

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