Spokane Grocery store workers overwhelmingly ratify a new three year contract!

This is our first union negotiations since we became UFCW 3000 and our combined strength has helped us win a contract with record wages and major contract improvements. In the midst of a proposed grocery mega-merger, we’ve sent a clear message —We have power in our communities, we have a voice in our workplace, and we have a strong new contract that will be the backbone for our future. 

We did this together, by standing strong and showing up for each other and our communities.  

The many improvements in the ratified contract include: 

• Strongest journey wage increases in any Spokane Grocery Store negotiation! We increased our Journey wages by $4.00 or more.

• Big retro checks for journey going back to contract expirations January 20, 2024.

• Won an “All Purpose Clerk” scale with historic pay raises for many departments —for some over 25% wage increase during the course of this contract.

• More than quadrupling our wage escalators —that means strong wage increases throughout the pay scale when minimum wage goes up and when workers are moving through the apprentice rates. 

• Healthcare with benefit improvements with NO increases to healthcare premiums or deductibles. Healthcare eligibility will now be based on all compensable hours. 

• Major improvements to our vacation banks that will ensure that we get vacation based off of hours worked. 

• Automatic pension funding increases that go up every time wages increase. 

• Dedicated money to fund training and workforce development to ensure that we get the training we need to do our jobs and prepare for the future of the industry. 

• Stronger safety language to address top issues we face in our stores. 

“This is the most money I thought I'd ever see coming out of Kroger. The pressure we applied across all our stores was amazing! I am feeling amazed!” -Katrina Keffer, Fred Meyer 

“I am really excited for my co-workers who worked for years in the Deli, my co-workers will get wage increases that they deserve. This will help make sure we can keep people here in the store.” -Jeff Yergens, Safeway 

Grocery East Tentative Agreement Reached!

Member Bargaining Committee recommends a YES vote! 

After months of strike preparation, store actions, and long negotiation sessions, our member bargaining committee reached a fully recommended tentative agreement with Safeway/Albertsons and Kroger on a new contract. This agreement has dramatic gains for Eastern Washington, Oregon, and historic gains for unionized grocery stores in Idaho.

“This is the most money I thought I'd ever see coming out of Kroger. The pressure we applied across all our stores was amazing! I am feeling amazed!” - Katriana Keffer, Fred Meyer

The agreement includes: 

• Higher wages that will address pay equity across departments 

• Rights that will ensure a safer store 

• Pension improvements

• ​Investments in workforce development and training

• And more!

This tentative agreement is not final until we vote on it. Full details of the agreement will be available at the contract vote Thursday, May 2 where members of the bargaining committee will be available to help answer questions and walk us through the agreement. 

Contract Votes for Spokane Albertsons Meat, Spokane Albertsons Grocery, Spokane Safeway Meat, Spokane Safeway Grocery, Spokane Fred Meyer Meat, Spokane Fred Meyer Grocery, Spokane Fred Meyer CCK: Thursday, May 2, 2024 from 9am-12pm and 3pm-7pm at the Spokane DoubleTree Hotel and Conference Center, 322 N Spokane Falls Ct, Spokane WA 99201 - All other grocery contracts will vote at a later date.

“I feel really, really good about what we are finally getting from these employers! We broke through some big barriers in this agreement. The gains to our retirement plan felt like we were finally being listened to -we can actually retire!” -Frankie Roesser Safeway

“It’s not what everybody wants, it’s not the moon but I am really excited for my coworkers who worked for year in the Deli, my coworkers will get wage increases that they deserve. Hopefully this will help make sure we can keep people here in the store.” -Jeff Yergens, Safeway

Grocery East Contract Votes Set

After nearly six months of bargaining with Albertson/Safeway and Kroger for a new contract that respects our work, increases our wages, and improves our retirement and healthcare, we are holding a contract vote! This notice serves to inform all members that a critical membership meeting will be held on May 2, 2024, at the Spokane Double Tree Hotel, in the conference center. We will be conducting a vote on the last offer presented by the Employer following our scheduled bargaining dates on April 29 and 30, 2024. 

The Agenda, Times and Location for the meeting will be: 

1. CONTRACT RATIFICATION VOTE: The bargaining committee will present the last offer received from the Employer. Members will have the opportunity to discuss the terms and implications of the offer before proceeding to a vote on whether to ratify or reject the proposed contract. 
2. STRIKE AUTHORIZATION VOTE (if applicable): Should the final offer not be recommended by the bargaining committee, we will also conduct a strike authorization vote. This vote will determine whether to engage in a strike or other action in response to the Employer’s final offer. 
3. VOTE TIMES & LOCATION: Any member in good standing will be able to vote at the Spokane DoubleTree Hotel and Conference Center, 322 N Spokane Falls Ct, Spokane WA 99201 from 9am-12pm or from 3pm-7pm on May 2, 2024. Carpool if you can, as parking is limited. Available parking will be at no cost, details available at registration.

For questions, please contact your Union Representative, bargaining committee members, and stewards for critical updates as things can change quickly and are time sensitive. If you are unable to connect with your union rep, steward or bargaining committee member you may call the MRC at 1-866-210-3000 for more information. 

All members in the Spokane Albertsons Meat, Spokane Albertsons Grocery, Spokane Safeway Meat, Spokane Safeway Grocery, Spokane Fred Meyer Meat, Spokane Fred Meyer Grocery, Spokane Fred Meyer CCK, are encouraged to be present for this important vote. Your voice and vote are essential in guiding the direction of our bargaining strategy.  

The Cheney Meat and Grocery Votes will be held at a separate time and location to be announced. The Oregon Grocery Vote will be held at a separate time and location to be announced.  

UFCW Locals issue statement on Kroger's updated proposed divesture plan

UFCW 5, 7, 324, 400, 770 and 3000

“This bigger proposed divestiture simply increases the challenge C&S, a New Hampshire-based wholesaler, would have trying to operate a hodgepodge chain of retail stores. They have no experience operating retail stores in these states, would still lack the IT, customer loyalty and manufacturing capabilities needed, and would most likely end up monetizing the real estate under many of these stores,” said a coalition of UFCW locals (Locals 5, 7, 324, 400, 770, 1564 and 3000). These local UFCWs have been central in the coalition opposing the proposed merger from the get-go and represent over 100,000 Kroger and Albertsons workers across the nation from Washington DC and surrounding states, and California, Colorado, New Mexico, Washington state and Wyoming.

Please go to www.nogrocerymerger.com for more information in the coalition efforts to oppose the proposed Kroger and Albertsons merger.

 Contact: Tom Geiger, 206-604-3421

Grocery East Close -but not close enough!

After three days of bargaining with the Employers, Albertsons/Safeway and Kroger, we made good progress towards an agreement. Our union member Bargaining Committee made major progress on key issues like wage escalators that help ensure we keep our wages above minimum wage and workers get raises when the minimum wage goes up. We will continue to fight to get the Employers to propose more money for Journeypersons so that we get the big raises we deserve, especially in the first year of the contract.

New bargaining dates are set with the Employers for April 29 and 30, which we hope will be productive. After these sessions we will take the Employers’ last offer to a vote of the membership on May 2 at the Spokane Doubletree hotel. This will either be a strike authorization vote if the Employers’ offer falls short, or it will be a ratification vote if the employer meets our demands and our Bargaining Committee recommends a yes vote.

Continue to get strike ready! Become a picket captain, sign strike pledge cards, attend Contract Action Team meetings and become a steward!

This vote is for the Spokane & Cheney stores only due to expired contracts. NE Oregon to be announced. Please reach out to your Rep with any questions about the vote.

Grocery East Contract Action Meetings

Governor Signs Worker Protection Bill Championed by UFCW 3000 Grocery Store Workers into Law

OLYMPIA, WA – This morning, Governor Inslee signed into law Senate Bill 6007, a bill intended to protect grocery store workers and communities from the negative impacts of corporate megamergers in the grocery industry. Drafted in response to the news that grocery giants Kroger (owner of Fred Meyer and QFC) and Albertsons/Safeway are threatening to merge into one huge company, ESSB 6007 saw enormous support from local Washington grocery store workers and community allies, who advocated throughout the legislative session for its passage. 

“As I explained to legislators, we’ve already learned the hard way through past grocery chain mergers about the upheaval it causes for workers and shoppers when these chains merge and close or sell off neighborhood grocery stores,” said Yasmin Ashur, a UFCW 3000 member and checker at the Port Orchard Albertsons who testified in support of the bill and was on hand to see the governor sign it today. “We saw it in Port Orchard with the Albertsons/Safeway merger not that long ago. I am so proud to say I stood up with my fellow workers and helped pass legislation that will help protect our jobs.” 

This new legislation puts in place basic guidelines for large grocery stores when they change hands, like in an acquisition or merger, to ensure that essential food workers’ lives and our communities’ access to food and household necessities are not thrown into chaos. It requires public notice of new ownership, a period of job protection or re-hire for eligible current employees, protection of current working conditions and collective bargaining agreements, and mandatory engagement with local government if a merger would cause the closure of a store in an existing food desert. 

“The difference between unemployment caused by a pandemic and job loss caused by corporate buyouts is that the potential harm of a merger is foreseeable,” said Britt Leggett, a UFCW 3000 member and deli clerk at the Fred Meyer in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle who also testified in support of the bill and attended the bill signing today. “That’s what this legislation seeks to remediate: to help workers keep their jobs and seniority when their stores changes owners. The law also ensures that constituents will be served by grocery workers who they know well, who have the skills to do their jobs, and follow the health rules to keep food safe.” 

Hundreds of grocery store workers with UFCW 3000 across the state sent messages to lawmakers encouraging the passage of SB 6007, and some traveled to Olympia to meet lawmakers in person.  

“It’s a big sacrifice for everyday working people to take time out of their busy lives to try and engage with the local political process,” said Joe Mizrahi, Secretary Treasurer of UFCW 3000. “But being in a union means we can share the load, work together, and make real change that impacts entire industries.” 

Update on Efforts to Oppose the Proposed Kroger + Albertsons Mega-Merger

Our efforts to stop the proposed mega-merger of Kroger and Albertsons reached a major milestone on Monday February 26 when the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and nine State Attorneys General filed a lawsuit to challenge the merger. UFCW 3000 has been a national leader in opposing the proposed merger since the day it was announced in October of 2022. Since that time, we have been actively working with a core group of other UFCW locals as well as a wide range of over 150 diverse partner organizations across the nation and developed a “No Grocery Merger” coalition.
 
The effort to oppose the merger is not over yet. Kroger and Albertsons have both said they will challenge the lawsuits in court, so we expect it could be many months until an outcome is known. We will keep up the fight. And for right now we will also celebrate this major win in the struggle to protect workers, shoppers, and communities from the greed and over-reach of Kroger and Albertsons.
 
Another example of our effort to protect workers was our recent win on February 22 when we were successful in getting the Washington State Legislature to pass SB 6007 – a new law to provide protections for grocery store workers from the harm that can result when chains merge and the consequences include layoffs and store closures. 
 
For the thousands of members who have acted together – we are making a difference. The actions have included signing petitions, handing out leaflets to customers, raising our voices in local and national news stories, signing in support of our new WA law to protect workers, and so much more. And it shows that when workers and community come together and act as one, we can push back against some of the largest corporations in America.
 
Instead of spending all this time and money on a proposed merger that if allowed to proceed would lead to higher prices, closed stores, lost jobs, a reduced ability for union workers to negotiate strong contracts, and giving away billions to wealthy investors, these companies should be doing the necessary work to provide better wages and working conditions, and making stores safer.

More Detailed  Information:
On Monday February 26, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) challenged the proposed mega-merger of Kroger and Albertsons siting concerns about how the merger would harm consumers and workers. Nine State Attorneys General (Arizona, California, District of Columbia, Illinois, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Wyoming) joined the legal action as well. These are above and beyond the two other Attorneys General lawsuits from Washington and Colorado. Your support of the “No Grocery Merger” coalition is an important part of what led to this success. The 150 organizations across the nation who joined together last year to fight this merger was a show of both the power of solidarity and a diverse array of interests.

We remain committed to continue our diligent efforts to defend workers, customers and communities from the devastating harm that would be caused if such a merger were to proceed. And we also look forward to beginning to fix the broken food systems in this nation.

Additional information and past updates

1. FTC Press release: FTC Challenges Kroger’s Acquisition of Albertsons. Largest supermarket merger in U.S. history will eliminate competition and raise grocery prices for millions of Americans, while harming tens of thousands of workers, FTC alleges

2. FTC Complaint: Kroger's/Albertsons: Administrative Part 3 Complaint (Public) (ftc.gov)

3. Our press release including link to coalition partners and highlights of some of the activities over past 16 months to fight the proposed merger.

FTC Rejects Kroger - Albertsons Proposed Megamerger!

Press Release: UFCW Locals 5, 7, 324, 400, 770, 1564, 3000

For immediate release: February 26, 2024
Contact: Tom Geiger, UFCW 3000, 206-604-3421

UFCW Local Unions Applaud the FTC Decision to Reject Kroger and Albertsons Proposed Megamerger

UFCW local unions representing more than 100,000 grocery store employees working at Albertsons and Kroger-owned stores in over a dozen states and the District of Columbia applaud the FTC Decision to reject this proposed megamerger.

UFCW local unions have loudly and soundly opposed the proposed mega-merger of Kroger and Albertsons since day one because the megamerger would have resulted in lost jobs, closed stores, food deserts, and higher prices with reduced food choices – all of this would have been destructive for workers, consumers, and entire communities. Importantly, the FTC decision recognizes the threat that the merger would have caused goes beyond consumers and calls out that it would also have damaged essential grocery store workers’ wages, benefits and working conditions.

The FTC deliberations over the past 16 months, and the evidence that was gathered directed their well-founded decision. This is a step in the right direction for building a better food system in this country. Now we need to do all we can to help defend this decision and to turn the discussion towards building a better system that is more accountable to workers, shoppers, and the community.

The coalition of UFCW locals 5, 7, 324, 400, 770, 1564 and 3000 have been instrumental in the opposition to the proposed merger from the very beginning. Hundreds of actions, news stories, meetings with grocery store members, community, regulators and others and additional events have been part of that effort. Below is a varied sampling of some highlighted examples of this work.

---

Linked here are a more full list of media coverage, and a long list of opposition coalition members:

October 2022

10/13 – Kroger and Albertsons, without any warning, make announcement of proposed merger.

10/13 – Group of local UFCW unions, taking advantage of close relationships forged through supportive and collaborative efforts with each other’s collective bargaining with national grocers, quickly convene and issue joint statement immediately raising concerns about the proposal. Within hours the initial news coverage that had simply contained Kroger’s statement becomes a broader story including very strong opposition and concerns.

10/22  – Joint press release by local UFCWs flags the proposed massive payout of $4 Billion by Albertsons to wealthy shareholders as part of the proposed merger. News coverage includes KIRO 7 TV story.

10/26 -  Joint press release applauding lawsuits filed by Attorneys General in multiple jurisdictions to halt Albertsons special $4 billion payout to wealthy shareholders as part of the proposed merger which Albertsons initially announced would take place in early November.  The Washington State AG case succeeds in halting this rushed payment. While it ends up being allowed to proceed, it is not until early 2023 and only after under-oath testimony from company executives disclosing critical inside information that had been unknown to the public and exposed some of the key motivations behind the proposed merger.

November 2022

11/29 Held in-person Press Conference in Washington DC with Presidents and members from the six local UFCWs of the newly formed coalition from across 12 states and the District of Columbia  (Southern CA - UFCW 324 and 770, Northern CA – UFCW 5; Washington – UFCW 3000; CO & Wyoming – UFCW 7; DC and surrounding states – UFCW 400) and Teamsters local 38 representing over 100,000 Kroger and Albertsons. The press conference was held immediately prior to a planned US Senate Subcommittee hearing on the proposed merger and helped tell the story of the negative impacts of such a merger in local and national TV, print, and radio coverage.

December 2022

12/3 – Article goes into details about concerns. “EVERYONE SHOULD BE VERY SKEPTICAL OF THE SUPPOSED BENEFITS OF THE KROGER-ALBERTSONS MERGER - Kroger can’t help but promote its own interests over customers.”

January 2023

1/23 – Ongoing opposition by states and UFCW locals discussed in Supermarket News article.. 

February 2023

2/1 – More Perfect Union posts video discussing harms and concerns of proposed merger.

2/15 - Colorado Attorney General begins series of statewide listening sessions to hear from workers, community and others about their reactions to the proposed merger. UFCW Local 7 members attend these meetings and provide critical concerns about the proposal.

March 2023

3/24 – Launch of national coalition “NoGroceryMerger.com” and website as a one-stop for the anti-merger efforts with over 100 organizations. This also becomes a place to chronicle much of the media coverage around the country about the opposition and provides a degree of a check and balance to the Kroger and Albertson’s PR machinery. https://www.nogrocerymerger.com/news

April 2023

4/4-4/13 – Grocery store workers take actions in front of stores across the nation to connect with customers and share concerns about the proposed merger and how it would harm workers and customers with closed stores, lay-offs, higher prices, and in some locations food deserts. 

May 2023

After months of deliberation and ultimately a unanimous vote at the UFCW International Convention opposing the merger, UFCW International Union announces opposition to the proposed Kroger Albertsons merger. National press coverage is widespread including a Wall Street Journal headline: “Biggest Grocery Union Opposes $20 Billion Kroger-Albertsons Deal - UFCW International is concerned about potential divestitures and stores’ future viability.”

June 2023

6/29 – A week of actions held by UFCW grocery store workers across the nation include many in California that generated local press coverage like KTLA 5 TV story: Southern California grocery workers rally against Albertsons-Kroger merger (youtube.com) 

July 2023

7/26 – Coalition of UFCW locals issue statement condemning announced pay-outs of over $146 million to top executives if merger were approved.  Coverage includes Cincinnati Enquirer article.

August 2023

8/23 – State Treasurers raise concerns about proposed merger. News stories include Bloomberg Law article: “Kroger Grocery Deal Will Harm Workers State Treasurers Tell FTC”

September 2023

9/20 – National press conference held by coalition of local UFCWs to expose concerns about the recently announced divestiture to C&S Wholesale. Generates significant local and national press coverage and begins the public discussion of major concerns about C&S as an inadequate proposed remedy to the proposed mergers anti-trust challenges. Results in many stories including Supermarket News story titled “UFCW cites ‘echoes of Haggen’ in proposed C&S deal”

9/27 – UFCW local 7 hold Town Hall with members to update on opposition to proposed merger and take questions. Thousands attend.

October 2023

10/30 – Progressive Grocer published op-ed titled: Opinion: Kroger-Albertsons Proposed Mega-Merger Is a Threat to Workers and Shoppers Alike

November 2023

11/1 - FTC Chair Khan hold listening session in Denver and hears widespread concerns from workers, consumers, suppliers and others. Significant press coverage of event includes stories like the Colorado Public Radio story: “Grocery workers ask FTC chair to stop Kroger Albertsons merger during Denver visit” UFCW members from California, Washington and Colorado attend this important event to share their stories.

11/11 – Marshall Steinbaum, an economic from University of Utah, issues report that was supported by coalition of local UFCWs 5, 7, 324, 400, 770 and 3000, titled: Evaluating the Competitive Effect of the Proposed Kroger-Albertsons Merger in Labor Markets

11/14 – American Economic Liberties Project, hold national briefing and press event with UFCW grocery store members and representatives from five additional organizations including: Ranch Foods, Independent Grocers Association, Open Markets Institute, Farm Action and Alaska Public Interest Research Group

December 2023

12/11 – Teamsters International issues strong statement in opposition to merger divestiture proposal: TEAMSTERS CALL ON FTC TO REJECT KROGER-ALBERTSONS PROPOSED ASSET SALES TO C&S

January 2024

1/15 – UFCW local coalition Issues statement applauding Washington State Attorney General Lawsuit – with our quote in local and national press coverage of the lawsuit. Coverage includes national AP story: “Washington State Sues to Block Proposed Merger of Kroger and Albertsons Grocery Chains”

1/23 - Held two webinars (1/23 AM and PM) to update members on details of the proposed merger and collective efforts to fight the proposal with over 500 members in attendance.

1/25 - Held multiple meetings with Kroger as well as C&S Wholesale. We found out no new information in the meetings that dissuaded us from our position of opposition, in fact we found out additional concerning information as well continued to ask for information that was still not provided.

1/26 - Held national online press conference (1/26) to continue to clarify our position of opposition so media and members of the public understood our reasons and the various threats to workers, consumers and communities by both the proposed merger and the proposed divestiture plan – with over 50 reporters in attendance. Generated local and national press coverage educating the public, workers and others. Example: https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/grocery-worker-union-gives-update-proposed-kroger-albertsons-merger-timeline/

February 2024

2/1 - UFCW 3000 and Teamsters 38 hold live Telephone Town Hall to update and educate members, and answer questions of members with thousands of members in attendance.

2/14 – Colorado Attorney General files lawsuits against the merger. Local and national coverage. One example: CBS News Colorado: https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/colorado-attorney-general-files-lawsuit-block-merger-between-kroger-albertsons/

2/22 – The Washington State Legislature passed SB 6007 – a new law to provide protections for grocery store workers from the harm that can result when chains merge and the consequences include layoffs and store closures. 

Grocery East Progress on Wages but Still a Long Way to Go— Take Action to Fight for More!

Last week, our member bargaining team told stories of trying to survive on our wages. Fred Meyer and Safeway/Albertsons force us to decide between paying for groceries over utility bills, paying for our kids’ medical needs before our own, and filling our gas tank to get to work over making a needed repair.  

The Employers didn’t respond to our stories with words, but they did respond through their proposal: They came back to the table, proposing the first dollar raise for Journey that we have seen in this round of bargaining. The Employers current proposal on Journey wages stands at $1/$0.50/$0.50. We deserve more! 

We are standing united and fighting to win:   

• Journey wage increases of multiple dollars over the life of the contract that gain ground on the West side.  

• Raises of multiple dollars for Journey Meat Cutters over the life of the contract, a proposed dollar premium for Head Meat Cutter, and new designation of Head Butcher Block. 

• Increase the amount between steps from $0.10 above minimum wage and $0.05 between steps to $0.25 above the minimum wage and between steps so that every step sees an increase as the minimum wage increases with cost of living. 

• Reduce the length of our wage scales and align our scales so our coworkers can reach the Journey rate sooner and at the same time no matter what county we work in.  

We also continued to fight to maintain our healthcare benefits and strengthen our pension: 

• We won a Tentative Agreement to improve the rate to qualify for our healthcare: Now, all Eastern Washington, Eastern Oregon, and Northern Idaho members will accumulate the 80 hours per month to qualify for healthcare which includes all compensable hours, not just hours worked. This means that vacation and sick leave hours will count towards the 80 hours. When we’re ill or injured and need our healthcare the most, we now will not have to fear losing it.  

We continued to push to maintain our healthcare with improvements to vision, podiatry, and hearing care.  
We also won Tentative Agreements over: 

• Additional premium for workers when we are in charge of the store: An extra 50 cents per hour for a worker in charge of the store when the manager/assistant manager is absent for more than three hours per day.  

• Rest periods for Idaho Meat Members: Idaho doesn’t have rest period laws, so we won a Tentative Agreement to ensure Idaho Meat Members have 10 minutes rest for every 4 hours worked, just like the rest of our Idaho Grocery Members. 

Our next bargaining dates are April 15, 16 and 17.  
Wear your union buttons at work!  

It is clear that the only way we will get what we deserve is to show our unity through action! 

Informational Pickets & leaflets I’ll be there! You can rsvp online! >>

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS WILL I LOSE MY JOB IF I GO ON STRIKE? 

You cannot be permanently replaced for participating in a valid ULP strike. You can be permanently replaced only if the strike is caused solely by economic issues and only after the actual hiring of a permanent replacement for your position. If the strike is called in part to protest unfair labor practices by the employer, the employer cannot legally hire a permanent replacement for you. In the unlikely event our unfair labor practice charge is not upheld, we will provide an update about the return-to-work situation.

WHAT IF THE EMPLOYER LOCKS US OUT?

If the employer chooses to lockout employees they have to lockout all employees. Workers locked out by their employers are generally eligible for unemployment benefits. The Employment Security Department will determine eligibility for unemployment benefits on a case by case basis.

DO I ACCRUE SICK LEAVE OR VACATION TIME WHEN ON STRIKE? 

You will not accrue sick leave or vacation while you are on strike. The employment security department determines eligibility for unemployment benefits on a case by case basis for workers in a labor dispute.

CAN I USE ACCRUED VACATION OR PAID TIME OFF BENEFITS?

Although an employer may not discriminate against strikers with respect to the use of vacation time or paid time off during a strike, an employer is not required to allow strikers to use their accrued vacation time or other benefits during a strike unless they are otherwise entitled to do so. Thus, if a worker had submitted a vacation request before a strike and it was approved in accordance with the employer’s established policies, the employer must pay the vacation benefits even though the approved vacation occurs while the member is on strike. 

WILL I STILL HAVE HEALTHCARE DURING THE STRIKE?

It is possible that members on strike may experience a temporary disruption to their healthcare. You should work with your healthcare provider on details for eligibility. 

WHAT IS MY STRIKE BENEFIT ? 

The Executive Board of UFCW 3000 has approved strike benefits for grocery store workers who take part in strike duty. Strike benefits will not fully replace our wages but will help. They have approved strike benefits of $500 for workers, union members, and non-members who picket a minimum of 20 hours a week, $800 for 32 hours a week and $200 a week respect the line benefit for striking members who cannot join their coworkers on the strike line but respect the strike line and do not cross (for a maximum of 4 weeks). Our Union also has a hardship fund to assist members whose families face particularly difficult financial situations. Additionally, food assistance and other financial aid may be available through community organizations and other unions. Notify your creditors prior to falling behind. Communicate your situation and explore options for reduced payments or refinancing. Prioritize your expenses, placing essentials like mortgage/rent, utilities, insurance, car payments, gas, child support, and alimony at the top.

Is there paperwork I need to fill out for my strike benefit?  

To receive Union Strike Benefits, grocery store workers will need to complete a W9 for provided by the union. 
Become a Strike Picket Captain by telling your union rep that you are ready to help lead a strike by becoming a Strike Picket Captain.

Download and read the Grocery East Strike Manual >>

More information: 
To get updates and join the fight to Stop the Mega-Merger, go to nogrocerymerger.com  
For information about your health care plan with Rehn go to www.ufcwhealth.com or call 800-872-8979  
If you have questions about the Pension contact Zenith at soundretirmenttrust.com or call 800-225-7629  

Previous Grocery East updates:

Grocery East Why do the Bosses think you deserve less than grocery workers in Western Washington?

Why do the Bosses think you deserve less than grocery workers in Western Washington? 

In our last bargaining session, the Employers told us that because cost of living is lower in Eastern Washington, Eastern Oregon, and Northern Idaho, journey union members do not need the same kind of raises as the Westside. Over the last two days of bargaining, we came to correct this.  

We know that Eastern Washington, Northern Idaho, and Eastern Oregon grocery workers desperately need and deserve meaningful raises. We presented data on rising rents and home sale prices in our region. We compared Westside and Eastside counties which have very similar housing costs and very different wages.  

We compared a grocery basket in Spokane and near Seattle to show that the astronomical food prices set by these companies are the same regardless of where you live. Our grocery costs are the same, our rents are the same, and it’s all going up. But they insist on keeping a wage scale that pays us DOLLARS less!  

Bargaining committee members shared our stories: having to choose between paying the power or the water bill that month, putting our children’s healthcare costs before our own, and struggling to afford to pay for the gas to get to work. We also shared over 100 stories submitted from UFCW 3000 grocery members under these Eastside contracts. Kroger and Albertsons can afford to pay us the wages we need so we don’t have to choose between buying groceries or putting gas in the tank.  

If Safeway can afford a 4 billion dividend, they can afford to pay us what is fair. If Fred Meyer can afford to buy Safeway, they can afford to pay us what is fair. 

While we educated the Employers on what it’s like trying to survive on these wages, we stayed strong, pushing the proposals we need: 

• Create Journey wage increases of multiple dollars over the life of the contract that gain ground on the West side.  

• Institute one wage scale for all UFCW 3000 Eastern Washington, Oregon and Northern Idaho and the same journey wage rate across all grocery scales. 

• Create raises of multiple dollars for Journey Meat Cutters over the life of the contract, a proposed dollar premium for Head Meat Cutter, and new designation of Head Butcher Block. 

• Increase the amount between steps from $0.10 above minimum wage and $0.05 between steps to $0.25 above the minimum wage and between steps so that every step sees an increase as the minimum wage increases with cost of living.  

• Reduce the length of our wage scales so our coworkers can reach the Journey rate sooner. 

• Maintain our strong healthcare plan and coverage and improve benefits without increasing employee premiums.   

All the while the employers only came up $0.10 in the third year of their wage proposal. Proposing $0.50/$0.50/$0.60. This is not enough! 

We’ll be back next week for bargaining. Next bargaining dates: February 15 and 16   

Join us and show our unity in fighting for a strong contract! 

• Become a Strike Picket Captain by telling your union rep that you are ready to help lead a strike by becoming a Strike Picket Captain. Review the training here >> 

• Sign a Strike Pledge Card. 

• Remember to fill out the Worker Research Committee survey about the state of safety and operations at your store. >> 

• Wear your union buttons at work! 

More information: 

• To get updates and join the fight to Stop the Mega-Merger, go to nogrocerymerger.com 

• For information about your health care plan with Rehn go to www.ufcwhealth.com or call  800-872-8979 

• If you have questions about the Pension contact Zenith at soundretirmenttrust.com or call 800-225-7629

• General Membership Meetings happening next week 

• ​Presentation on the rising cost of living

Update on Our Efforts to Protect Workers and Customers from the Proposed Kroger-Albertsons Merger/C&S Divestiture

We wanted to provide you with an update on our efforts to oppose the proposed merger between The Kroger Company (parent company of Fred Meyer and QFC) and Albertsons Companies, Inc. (parent company of Safeway, Albertsons and Haggen stores) and their proposed divestiture of stores to C&S Wholesale Grocers.

1. On Monday, January 15, Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a lawsuit in King County, Washington court to block the proposed merger. Our UFCW 3000 endorsement of this legal action and a quote from UFCW 3000 grocery store member Yasmin Ashur who works at the Port Orchard Albertsons was part of the news coverage in the Seattle Times news article linked above and other news stories nationwide.

2. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is continuing its review of the proposed merger, and we continue to work closely with them. Many analysts feel it is more than likely that the FTC will challenge the merger. Our local union, in coalition with other local unions from across the United States, has provided extensive information about the proposed merger to the FTC. We remain hopeful that the FTC will also challenge the proposed merger. Both the courts and the FTC have the power to potentially block the merger from being completed.

3. Recently, Kroger and Albertsons have announced a delay to the merger timeline, until potentially as late as August. No doubt this delay is in response to both news of the lawsuit and the pressure campaign mounted by a broad swath of consumer groups, unions, farmers, ranchers, and others committed to preventing the harmful effects of this merger.

JOIN US!

All our grocery store members are invited to join us for a webinar on Tuesday, January 23. Please go to the link below to register for your preferred webinar:

MORNING MEETING:

Tuesday 1/23/24

8 AM

EVENING MEETING:

Tuesday 1/23/24

5 PM

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Additional information:

• This is far from a done deal: Kroger and Albertsons cannot sell stores to C&S Wholesale Grocers unless and until a merger were approved by regulators, and now, because of the Washington State lawsuit, the courts.

• Contrary to comments made by these companies, this proposed merger is not at all necessary. Nor does their announced divestiture plan remedy our concerns. Both Kroger and Albertsons are doing well financially and making strong profits.

• The proposed merger is really about greed. These two companies have already profited so much from the labor of grocery store workers all while often under-staffing stores and over-charging customers. Instead of investing in improved working conditions and reduced prices, they have prioritized high CEO pay, large dividends, including an Albertsons $4 Billion give away in early 2023, and massive stock buy backs.

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Keeping up the Effort to Protect Workers and Customers

Our efforts over the past year and a half, from actions at the store level, to meeting with regulators, to helping to educate the public and generate hundreds of TV, radio and newspaper stories across the nation, have and continue to have an impact. We can’t let up now. The proposed Kroger-Albertsons merger would no doubt be disastrous for consumers in the form of higher prices, for workers in the form of lost jobs, lower wages, and crippling losses to pension and health benefit plans, for farmers and ranchers who will lose a major buyer of their products,  and for thousands of Americans who would find themselves living in food and drug-store deserts without adequate access to everyday necessities. If you haven’t done so already, please tell the FTC and you can also write to Washington’s Attorney General to thank him for his recent lawsuit and let him know why you oppose the proposed merger.

Grocery East Bargaining Update

Our union member Bargaining Committee had our second bargaining session with the Employers to fight for a safer workplace, maintain and strengthen our benefits, and improve wages.

Over the two days of bargaining, we came to several Tentative Agreements:

• Greater Workplace Safety. We secured an agreement for a Master Safety Committee, which will allow us to raise safety issues that are not being addressed at the store level, up to the corporate Management level. We also established yearly walk-through trainings for emergency situations, including natural disasters and active shooter situations.

• Increases to Leaves of Absences for personal illness/pregnancy from 6 months to 9 months.

• The ability to keep our information updated so that we can get critical information about our wages, benefits and working conditions.

We continued to trade proposals over important contract language items, including:

• Funding for Workforce Training, so we can get the training we need and expand the Meat Cutters Apprenticeship Program around the state of Washington.

• Worker Severance and Retention language to ensure that, in the event of any merger or sale of the companies, the Employer must retain workers for a set period and compensate workers fairly if there are lay offs or terminations.

• Allowing workers to accept tips from customers.

We also proposed the following IMPROVEMENTS to our contract:

• Improve vacation accruals and lower qualifying threshold for vacation. We proposed vacation accruals be based off the average of hours worked in the previous 12 months. This will help ensure that no worker gets less vacation per week than they normally work per week. Additionally, we proposed to lower the threshold to qualify for vacation from 1000 hours to 800 hours worked in a year.

• Increased scheduling notice so we can better plan our lives.

• Add Presidents Day as an additional holiday.

• Align past experience credit among all contracts so workers can claim more hours upon hire.

We proposed the following UPDATES to our contract:

• Align notice of technological changes in the store with other UFCW 3000 grocery store contracts.

Finally, we made a comprehensive economic proposal that would:

• Create Journey wage increases of multiple dollars over the life of the contract.

• Institute one wage scale for all UFCW 3000 Eastern Washington, Oregon and Northern Idaho and the same journey wage rate across all grocery scales.

• Gain ground on Puget Sound clerk wage rates, because the cost of living is high everywhere!

• Create raises of multiple dollars for Journey Meat Cutters over the life of the contract, a proposed dollar premium for Head Meat Cutter, and new designation of Head Butcher Block.

• Increase the amount between steps from $0.10 above minimum wage and $0.05 between steps to $0.25 and above the minimum wage and between steps so that every step sees an increase as the minimum wage increases with cost of living.

• Reduce the length of our wage scales so our coworkers can reach the Journey rate sooner.

• Maintain our strong healthcare plan and coverage and improve benefits without increasing employee premiums.

• Fund our pension and increase contributions and benefits for future earned benefits.

• Institute resort store pay premiums for Chelan, Leavenworth, Sandpoint and CDA.

• Award $800 longevity bonuses for workers with more than 10 years of service.

• Create premiums for short staffing & Person-In-Charge pay.

• Make a quicker path to Journey for Meat Cutters that complete the Meat Apprenticeship program.

• Ensure full back pay to date of expiration.

Next bargaining dates: January 10, 11 and 12

Join us and show our unity in fighting for a strong contract!

• Sign a Strike Pledge Card.

• Remember to fill out the Worker Research Committee survey about the state of safety and operations at your store. >>

• Wear your union buttons at work!

• More information:

• To get updates and join the fight to Stop the Mega-Merger, go to nogrocerymerger.com

• For information about your health care plan with Rehn go to www.ufcwhealth.com or call  800-872-8979

• If you have questions about the Pension and the Sound Health and Wellness Trust contact Zenith at soundretirmenttrust.com or call 800-225-7629

PRESS RELEASE: UFCW Locals 5, 7, 324, 400, 770 and 3000

Economist Report Goes Deep into Economic Analysis of Proposed Mega Grocery Store Merger and the Harms to Working Communities

A new report issued by economist Marshall Steinbaum from the University of Utah delves into the proposed mega-merger of Kroger and Albertsons in ways that have not been fully looked at over the past year. This is important information for any people involved in researching, reporting upon, or assessing the potential impacts that such a mega-merger could have.

• Marshall Steinbaum’s new research paper, utilizing a large database of posted job offers, demonstrates that the Kroger-Albertsons merger would reduce individual worker’s bargaining power as well as their union’s power.

• The paper shows that increased employer concentration has negative effects on both earnings and work hours.

• Importantly, the paper shows that union workers receive higher pay when there are two bargaining counterparties in a given labor market as opposed to when there’s only one.

The Presidents from UFCW Locals 5, 7, 324, 400, 770, and 3000 who have been leaders in the efforts to oppose the proposed merger since it was announced over a year ago provided support for the report:

“Our ability to raise wages and standards in general depends on our ability to pit these companies against one another at the bargaining table—threaten to strike one while directing customers to the other,” the presidents called out. “If these two companies were to become just one company, that power would go away and that harms workers as well as customers.”

The full report, entitled: Evaluating the Competitive Effect of the Proposed Kroger-Albertsons Merger in Labor Markets, can be found here:  https://marshallsteinbaum.org/assets/kroger_albertsons_labor.pdf

Workers across the country have experienced the impacts described in the report:

“In our most recent contract negotiations we were able to leverage one company’s fear of losing market share to their competitor and we used that to get improvements in our contract that they wouldn’t have agreed to otherwise. That helped us get historic raises that would never happen if there were just one company,” says Rachel Fournier, a Los Angeles, CA Ralphs employee.  

“I feel this merger would only bring a negative impact on the workers. Staffing, safety, and our seat at the bargaining table would all come under threat while the corporations reap the benefits from our hardship,” echoed Rena Zagala-Fondren, a Safeway worker from Los Gatos, CA.

A Seattle area worker had an additional response. “For years we have been facing reduced staffing levels in our stores – during and after COVID. Our experience is that this would only get worse if the mega merger were allowed. We need to increase staffing, improve our schedules, and increase our leverage as unionized grocery store workers, not go the other way,” said Sam Dancy, a Front-End Manager at Kroger-owned QFC store in West Seattle, WA.

Jill Young, a just-retired grocery store worker from Grand Junction, CO stated, “I started in ’86, was on strike in ’93 and ’96. Over the years I have been injured more than a couple times and had to take off six months or more to get better. The company tried to cut the leave time to one month. Having a union that was organized, and willing and able to strike was part of what kept that benefit in place. There are young workers just starting out who deserve a future with a union workplace and the leverage I have had. This proposed merger threatens that future.”

Judy Wood, a cake decorator for Albertsons in Orange, CA raised several of her concerns, “The power we have when we bargain collectively leads to improvements in stores for both workers and customers. Workers have higher wages and stores are safer now because we have the power to fix hazards that we won through our last contract bargaining session. If this merger goes through, we will lose some of that power, putting the public in a worse position.”

Benjamin Blum, a night crew employee at Thousand Oaks, CA Ralphs added his thoughts: “Our unionized workplaces have competitive wages and benefits because workers have fought for and won them. If the proposed megamerger were approved, workers will lose leverage and be more vulnerable to a single massive employer that would bully and retaliate against workers.”

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UFCW 3000 Member Stories: Joey Kagan

Joey Kagan sits in his breakroom at Safeway.

Meet Joey Kagen who works as a courtesy clerk at the Enumclaw Safeway and is an athelete in Special Olympics Washington. Joey is a swimmer competing at state in the 25 meter freestyle. He loves putting himself out there to share his passions and experiences as a man with autism.

Joey will be competing next week, and would love UFCW 3000 members to consider supporting, volunteering, and even joining Special Olympics. Competition begins at 9am June 10th at the King Country Federal Way Aquatics Center. He recommends coming a little early for socializing and opening ceremonies.

Joey is an important part of his store, community, and union!

UFCW 3000 Member Story: Michael Tewolde

Michael talks with a customer about why the Albertsons/Kroger merger will harm the othello community in South Seattle.

Michael Tewolde is a union leader and front-end Person-in-Charge (PIC) at the Othello Safeway in South Seattle. He has worked at Othello for several years and has seen the neighborhood change as more people have moved into the new surrounding developments. Having affordable healthcare and pension plans are important to Michael and is why he was one of the hundreds of union workers at Albertsons, Safeways, Haggens, QFCs, and Fred Meyers last week who took action at the entrances to their stores to educate their customers about why a Kroger/Albertsons could mean that the Othello store could close and that prices would most likely go up.

Michael grew up in the East African nation of Eritrea and speaks Tingrinya, one of Eritrea's official languages. If you are shopping at his store, please make sure to stop by and say hello!

UFCW 3000 Members & Grocery Store Workers Across Nation to Hold Actions Opposing Kroger-Albertsons Megamerger

Coming soon to a store near you!

Leaflet Actions in Front of Kroger and Albertsons Stores “Stop The Merger – protect jobs, shoppers and access to food”

Grocery store workers from seven UFCW Local Unions – representing over 100,000 Kroger and Albertsons workers in eleven states and the District of Columbia – will hold actions in front of stores between April 4th – 13th to connect with customers about the impacts of the proposed megamerger.  Since the companies announced the proposed merger in October, workers, unions, consumer groups and others have raised the alarm about the negative impact on workers, shoppers, and suppliers such as farmers and ranchers. In mid-March a national coalition of over 100 organizations was announced with a new website: https://www.nogrocerymerger.com/

If the $24.6 billion megamerger is approved, it will drive out competition, increase food prices, create food deserts, and put up to 100,000 union jobs at risk. The growing opposition is asking the Federal Trade Commission to block the megamerger from moving forward and prevent its negative impact on both consumer and labor markets.

All the local unions include: UFCW 3000 (WA & northern ID), UFCW 400 (MD,  DC, VA, WV, OH, KY, TN), UFCW  7 (CO & WY),  UFCW 770 (Southern CA), UFCW 5 (Northern CA), and UFCW 324 (Orange County CA/Southern Los Angeles County) and  UFCW 367, South Puget Sound of Washington State.

Join Us!

As part of these actions in states across the nation. UFCW 3000 will be holding over twenty-five actions across Washington state, including the following dates, times, locations:

4/4/2023 11:00AM
Fred Meyer Port Orchard,
1900 SE Sedgwick Rd, Port Orchard, WA

4/4/2023 11:00AM
Fred Meyer Ballard,
915 NW 45Th St, Seattle, WA

4/5/2023 10:30AM
QFC 825,
2500 SW Barton St, Seattle WA

4/5/2023 11:00AM
Safeway 3317,
3355 Bethel RD Port Orchard, WA

4/5/2023 11:00AM
Safeway 414,
4301 212th St SW, Mountlake Terrace, WA

4/5/2023 11:00AM
Safeway 464,
17246 Redmond Way, Redmond, WA

4/5/2023 12:00PM
QFC 826,
15600 NE 8th St Suite K-1 Bellevue, WA

4/5/2023 1:00 PM
Haggen 3450,
2601 E Divition St, Mount Vernon, WA

4/5/2023 1:45 PM
QFC 829,
460 E North Bend Way, North Bend, WA

4/5/2023 2:00 PM
Albertsons 471,
301 Marysville Mall, Marysville, WA

4/5/2023 2:15 PM
Haggen 3436,
757 Haggen Dr, Burlington, WA 

4/5/2023 3:00 PM 18325
Fred Meyer 13,
18325 Aurora Ave. N

4/5/2023 4:00 PM
Albertsons 3412,
1128 N Miller St, Wenatchee, WA

4/5/2023 4:30 PM
Safeway 3213,
15332 Aurora Ave N Shoreline, WA

4/6/2023 12:00 PM
Albertsons 453,
4621 Sunset Blvd. NE, Renton, WA

4/6/2023 12:00 PM
Safeway 494,
152 Roosevelt Way E, Enumclaw, WA

4/6/2023 12:00 PM
Albertsons 483,
4010 A St. SE, Auburn, WA

4/6/2023 3:00 PM
Fred Meyer 172,
10201 SE 240th St., Kent, WA

4/6/2023 3:00 PM
Fred Meyer 209,
9925 State Street, Marysville, WA 

4/6/2023 4:00 PM
Safeway 252,
690 Gage Blvd, Richland, WA 

4/6/2023 4:00 PM
Albertsons 265,
6520 North Nevada St., Spokane, WA

4/6/2023 6:00 PM
Fred Meyer 101,
Wellsian Way, Richland, WA

4/7/2023 11:00 AM
Safeway 1524
1401 NE McWilliams Rd, Bremerton, WA

4/7/2023 11:00 AM
QFC Ballard,
5700 24th Ave NW, Seattle, WA

4/7/2023 11:00 AM
Safeway 1524,
1401 NE McWilliams Rd Bremerton WA 98311

4/6/2023 12:00 PM
QFC Holman Road,
9999 Holman Rd NW, Seattle, WA

4/7/2023 12:15 PM
Fred Meyer 171
5050 WA-303, Bremerton WA

Taking Our Fight Against the Corporate Grocery Mega-Merger to the FTC!

UFCW 3000 Leadership with allies ready to testify before the federal trade commission

UFCW 3000 and our fellow UFCW locals continue to work aggressively to stop the mega-merger between Albertsons/Safeway and Kroger (parent company of Fred Meyer and QFC).

Recently, union presidents from UFCW Locals 7, 324, 400, 770, and 3000 presented compelling evidence to the Federal Trade Commission on the negative impacts of this merger and our negative experiences with past grocery mergers. Representatives from 10 states’ Attorneys General offices attended, along with UFCW 3000 member and leader Naomi Oligario, a longtime Safeway worker from Port Orchard who shared her story of how the Safeway-Albertsons merger caused her and two other family members to lose their jobs.

We will not stop fighting against this corporate greed and overreach, and bring frontline grocery store workers’ voices front and center so our lawmakers, regulators, and employers hear directly from experts who work in these stores and serve our communities every day.

Take Action!

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Read on to hear some of what Naomi and our president, Faye Guenther, shared.

“My name is Naomi Oligario. I started working at my local Safeway store, in Port Orchard, Washington in 1985. I raised my four kids with my income and benefits from this job. My kids were Safeway babies. As they have grown up, over the years, at one point or another, each have worked at a Safeway store. And my customers are like family too. It is a tight relationship that we all have. We share our triumphs and our tragedies.

In 2015, after nearly 30 years with the company, after coming in on extra shifts, doing extra work to make the store run, after working through holidays, I found out one day, without any advance notice or for-planning, that my store would be bought by Haggen, and that no one would be allowed to transfer to another store. […]

I lived through the debacle of my Safeway store closing, and the new Haggen opening, but quickly it became clear that this was not a good situation. The prices were too high. Many of my loyal customers, within three weeks or less, came to me with tears in their eyes and apologized to me. They said they’d tried but could not shop here anymore. Sales dropped through the floor. Our hours were cut, and quickly many staff were having to look for work elsewhere any where they could find employment… This impacted three income earners in my one family. But the fallout from that failed merger was huge. It was not just me and my family. Similar experiences were felt by workers at over a hundred closed stores. […]

It’s just greed. Plain and simple. A few months ago, back in November, I was in the Senate Subcommittee hearing room and saw the Kroger CEO say they would not close stores or lay off workers. Under oath he said that to a US Senator. But they’re not telling the truth. They will end up closing stores and laying off workers just like happened to me, my family and my co-workers seven years ago. And our customers will lose out again too. This merger is a bad idea and needs to be stopped.”

Naomi (L) and FAYE (R) traveled to speak directly with the ftc on the proposed merger.

“My name is Faye Guenther, President of UFCW 3000, representing 50,000 workers in Washington, Idaho, and Oregon. I represented workers in Fred Meyer in 1999, prior to its purchase by Kroger. In 2008, I represented workers in Kroger, Albertsons, Safeway, and Haggen. […]

Haggen was a 90-year-old, union, family-owned company, headquartered in Bellingham, WA. After the divestiture of 146 stores to Haggen (as a result of the Albertsons/Safeway merger), we watched this once-local company go bankrupt in a few short months. Workers were hurt in too many ways to enumerate here today. Instead of offering competition, all remaining Haggen stores now belong to Albertson.

The divested Haggen stores were in trouble fast. Something was wrong and workers started calling us immediately. At the store by my house, the banner was changed, but the only things that changed in the store were higher prices and wilted lettuce. Customers fled. Hours were cut, impacting everything from pension contributions to healthcare qualifications and leave banks. 

After bankruptcy, we had to then negotiate with Albertsons, to try restore workers who re-applied to get their seniority back which impacted Sunday pay, healthcare and every other wage and benefit issue.”

Anti Kroger-Albertsons merger coalition launch Stop The Merger website

United in Opposition to the Kroger-Albertsons Merger, Coalition of Over 100 Organizations from Across the Country Join Forces & Launch the “Stop the Merger” Website  

For Immediate Release: March 14, 2023
Contact: Tom Geiger, UFCW 3000, 206-604-3421

The Stop the Merger Coalition includes national, state and local organizations from across US

Des Moines, WA (March 14, 2023) – Today, a coalition of 100 organizations representing diverse interests from around the country have joined forces in the “Stop the Merger” campaign, a national and state-level effort to oppose the proposed $25-billion merger of grocery store chain giants Kroger and Albertsons. The coalition is announcing the launch of its website (www.NoGroceryMerger.com) which includes facts and research about the proposed merger’s negative impact, stories from community members, workers, and others, as well as tools for organizations and individuals to take action and communicate their opposition to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which has the regulatory oversight responsibility to review proposed mergers such as this.

In October of 2022, Kroger and Albertsons announced they would pursue a $24.6 billion mega-merger, joining together the two largest standalone U.S. grocery chains, and thereby creating a monopoly in many areas across the country. Both these chains have stores and manufacturing facilities in nearly every state, employing over 700,000 workers across their numerous local banners. The mega-merger, currently undergoing FTC review, would drive out competition, increase food prices, create food deserts, and put hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk as well as hurt local farmers and ranchers. 

The coalition of over 100 organizations has written numerous letters to the FTC and state Attorneys General, held meetings with federal and state elected officials and regulators, held press conferences and virtual town halls, attended public events on the merger hosted by government officials, and participated in various local community activities opposing the merger. All this activity has helped reveal growing evidence that shows the real motives for the proposed merger: corporate greed at the hands of C-Suite executives and the private equity firms that are significant owners of their stock. The diverse and large number of groups across the nation now include organizations whose focus includes consumer protection, faith, economic justice, anti-poverty, food justice, environmental protection, women’s rights, Black Indigenous People of Color advocates, farmer and farmworker advocates, and many others.

For more information on the negative impact of the mega-merger, please visit: NoGroceryMerger.com. Interested organizations can also join the Stop the Merger Coalition through the form on the site.

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The Stop the Merger campaign includes over 100 national, state and local organizations representing diverse interests who share a common goal: to stop the proposed Kroger-Albertsons grocery merger because of its negative impact on our nation’s communities. For more information visit www.NoGroceryMerger.com