Elected Leaders Stand with Grocery Workers! Open letter to Ron Sargent, Kroger Interim Chief Executive Officer

September 1, 2025 
Ron Sargent 
Interim Chief Executive Officer 
Chairman of the Board 
The Kroger Company 
1014 Vine Street 
Cincinnati, OH 45202-1100  

Dear Mr. Sargent, 

On Labor Day, a day set aside to honor the contributions of working people, we are writing to express our deep concern and opposition to your company’s announced closure of four Fred Meyer stores in the Puget Sound region — in Lake City (Seattle), Everett, Kent, and Redmond. These closures will result in the loss of nearly 700 union jobs and will leave working-class communities with fewer options for affordable groceries, worsening food insecurity. 

You have attempted to justify these closures by pointing to retail theft. The facts tell a different story. Retail theft has actually declined at the impacted stores.  

The real reasons for these closures derive from your corporate choices: years of underinvestment in stores, chronic understaffing, and funneling billions of dollars to Wall Street instead of reinvesting in workers and communities.  

Between 2018 and 2022 alone, you spent $9.2 billion on stock buybacks and dividends, and just last year you announced another $7.5 billion buyback. At the same time, you cut labor hours by more than 14% per store since 2019, creating a 21% staffing shortfall across your operations. 

We cannot accept the narrative that these closures are inevitable. They are the result of your deliberate corporate strategy that puts short-term payouts to investors over the long-term stability of workers, shoppers, and our neighborhoods. Abandoning working-class communities in this way is unacceptable. 

We stand with the nearly 700 workers whose jobs are on the line and the thousands of families who will lose access to essential groceries. As elected leaders, we will not sit idly by while you make decisions that destabilize our communities. 

We call on you to: 

• Halt the announced store closures and immediately engage with workers, community leaders, and local governments about alternatives. 

• Reinvest in staffing, safety, and store upkeep instead of funneling billions into Wall Street. 

• Release store-level data so the public can understand the true drivers behind these decisions. 

Our communities deserve better than to be abandoned by one of the nation’s largest and most profitable grocery corporations. On this Labor Day, we urge you to reverse course and put people before profits. 

Sincerely, 

King County Council 

Council President Girmay Zahilay  
Councilmember Claudia Balducci  
Councilmember Rod Dembowski 
Councilmember Jorge Barón  
Councilmember Sarah Perry 
Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda  

Snohomish County Council  

Councilmember Megan Dunn  
Councilmember Sam Low 

Lake City  

State Senator Javier Valdez (LD 46)
Rep. Gerry Pollett (LD 46) 
Rep. Darya Farivar (LD 46)  
Seattle City Councilmember Debora Juarez 
Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck
Seattle School Board Member Joe Mizrahi 

Kent 

Kent Councilmember Satwinder Kaur 
Rep. Chris Stearns (LD 47) 
Rep. Debra Entenman (LD 47) 
Public Hospital District #1 Commissioner Dustin Lambro 

Redmond  

Redmond City Council President Vanessa Kritzker 
Redmond City Council VP Jessica Forsythe 
Redmond City Councilmember & State Rep. Osman Salahuddin (LD 48) 

Everett 

Everett Councilmember Paula Rhyne   
Everett Councilmember Don Schwab
Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin 
Everett Councilmember & State Rep. Mary Fosse (LD 38)  
Sen. June Robinson (LD 38) 
Rep. Julio Cortes (LD 48) 

UFCW 3000 Demands the Release of David Huerta

On Friday, ICE agents dressed in military gear raided retail establishments across Los Angeles. During one of those raids, video shows SEIU California and SEIU-United Service Workers West President David Huerta being assaulted and arrested as he advocates for immigrant workers. He remains in custody following his release from the hospital.

In the following days, the Trump Administration escalated these attacks on working people and labor leaders by deploying the military on various communities in LA.

“These raids and the federal crackdown constitute a direct attack on our First Amendment rights to protest and organize. We must continue to fight for these rights and all workers,” said UFCW 3000 President Faye Guenther.

UFCW 3000, which represents more than 56,000 workers in Washington State, demands the immediate release of David Huerta and an end to these raids.

We encourage all in our region to join the #FreeDavidEndRaids rally in downtown Seattle outside the SEIU 775 office at 11 am on Monday, June 9. Find more details here.

Help Support Our Striking Union Allies by Donating to Their Strike & Defense Funds

Right now, nurses with Providence in Oregon and grocery workers with Kroger-owned King Soopers in Colorado are on strike for better staffing and safer workplaces. Join us and contribute to their strike and defense funds by using the links below. Donations help provide supplies like food, hot beverages, warm clothing, childcare, signs, and other needs as workers battle the cold rains in the PNW and the freezing temperatures in the Denver area. Their fight is our fight—and when we fight, we win!

Petition: Restore Gender-Affirming Care at Seattle Children’s Hospital!

Seattle Children’s Hospital has halted gender-affirming care, abandoning its commitment to providing comprehensive, life-saving treatment. Denying this essential care—recognized and supported by all major medical organizations—will cause unnecessary pain and suffering for some of our most vulnerable patients.

We demand an immediate reversal of this decision. If administrators refuse, we are prepared to take further action. We are also calling on Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown to investigate the hospital for potential violations of state laws against gender discrimination.

Stand with your coworkers in defense of our patients, our profession, and our values. Add your name to the petition today.

Providence Sacred Heart Techs ULP Strike Day 2 update

Amazing turnout of workers and community the first two days of the strike! We will be sending out short updates throughout the strike- today is an important update regarding your strike benefits and an invitation to join the Rally tomorrow night 4/24 at 7pm in Cowley Park.

Please help pass the word to friends and family- and wear your best western themed clothing for a Sunset showdown Rally in support of the Technical workers. We’ll be joined by community and legislative speakers… we hope to see you there!

WHAT IS MY STRIKE BENEFIT?    

Our Union Executive Board has approved strike fund benefits for represented workers of: 

• $500/week for picketing a minimum of 20 hours a week, 

• $800/week for picketing a minimum of 32 hours or more a week, 

• $200/week “Respect the Line Benefit” for those who cannot join their colleagues on the strike line but respect the strike line and do not cross. *Respect the Line Benefit only available on full week.  

  Since this is an 8.5 day strike, there are an extra two days that represented workers are eligible for strike benefits: 

• Week 1: Monday April 22 – Sunday April 28: Receive benefit above based on hours on the strike line 

• Week 2: Monday April 29 – Tuesday April 30: Strike Benefit will be pro-rated: 

• $200 for picketing 8-12 hr

• $320 for picketing more than 12 hr

Our health care workers are standing up for fair treatment and safe patient care at Sacred Heart.

Come by at 7 PM to meet striking workers and prepare for a sunset solidarity rally, with voices from the hospital and our community. Let’s show Sacred Heart workers that this community has their back!

Our health care workers are standing up for fair treatment and safe patient care at Sacred Heart. https://www.mobilize.us/ufcw3000/event/620522/
 

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

Providence Sacred Heart Techs ULP Strike starts on April 22

ULP Strike starts on April 22

On Monday April 22 at 2pm our unfair labor practice (ULP) strike at Providence Sacred Heart begins. The most important thing is that as we leave our shifts, there is a continuum of patient care. We cannot abandon our patients and should follow Providence’s instructions for safe transfer of work. Technical workers whose shift starts prior to 2pm on April 22 should report to their shift and at 2pm should give report and safely transfer their assignment to a replacement worker. If there is no replacement worker to transfer your assignment to, then you should continue working your shift until you can safely transfer your assignment (this may be at the end of your shift). Once you have safely transferred your assignment then you can join us on the strike line!

If you do not work on April 22, please join us on the strike line starting at 2pm so we can welcome our coworkers who have walked off their shifts. You may sign in on Day 1 on the strike line OR at the sign in Tent on 8th and McClellan St.

The strike will conclude on April 30 at 8:30pm. As this is a ULP strike, Providence must offer all technical workers an unconditional return to work. This means that technical workers should expect to work their next regular or call shift following April 30 at 8:30pm. If your regular or call shift on April 30 starts before 8:30pm, Providence will communicate instructions. We expect that supervisors will send out return-to-work instructions on or before April 29.

While we encourage all technical workers to join us on the strike line throughout our 8-day ULP strike, we recognize that personal circumstances may influence individual decisions regarding participation. If you choose to strike, please adhere to Providence's instructions.

For any questions or concerns, please reach out to your Union Representative Juanita Quezada, 509-340-7407.

For more information about our ULP strike please visit ufcw3000.org/strike >>

Event: Stand With Sacred Heart Workers on ULP Strike

Our health care workers are standing up for fair treatment and safe patient care at Sacred Heart.

Come by at 7 PM to meet striking workers and prepare for a sunset solidarity rally, with voices from the hospital and our community.

Let’s show Sacred Heart workers that this community has their back!

Macy's Workers Launch ULP Strike on Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Early yesterday morning, Macy’s workers at the Alderwood Mall location began an Unfair Labor Practice strike. Despite frigid temperatures, we took to the picket lines this MLK Day to stand up for ourselves, our colleagues, our families and our customers in the face of management’s blatant disrespect.
 
As you know, we have been in negotiations with Macy’s for close to a year now. Instead of coming to the bargaining table with thoughtful proposals that honor our contribution to this company’s success, Macy’s continues to undermine the process by repeatedly committing unfair labor practices, including bargaining in bad faith, changing working conditions unilaterally, and engaging in direct dealing while misleading workers about the most recent contract offer.
 
As of right now we plan to stay off the job indefinitely, picketing every day during Macy’snormalbusiness hours. We hope Macy’s will come back to the bargaining table to begin working on an agreement that isn’t riddled with takeaways and concessions. Macy’s workers deserve an agreement that protects us when we are at work, respects our time with the company and is something we can be proud of.

Macy’s most recent Last Best and Final offer just isn’t enough, offering:

• The elimination of our personal day in honor of MLK day, reducing our amount of paid time off and disrespecting an important holiday.

• Eliminating our hard-won wage scale—and without any guarantee that experienced workers will be paid above what new hires receive.

• A rejection of our proposed safety language that would protect workers from discipline if we call mall security or the police in response to a violent situation.

• Just $0.50 per year in General Wage Increases (GWI) to current workers, with low ratification bonuses of $300 for part-time workers and $600 for full-time workers.

• Check out management’s Last Best and Final offer here >>

This insulting offer was made by a company that has recorded more than a billion-dollar annual profit margin. A company made profitable off the work of the people now walking the strike line.

We must continue to be prepared to go on strike at the other Macy’s locations, Bellis Fair Mall, Southcenter Mall and the Alderwood and Tukwila Furniture Galleries. Workers could strike any day at any of these locations, joining workers at Alderwood ON STRIKE!
 
In anticipation of a longer strike, our rank-and-file worker-led Executive Board approved more comprehensive strike benefits of:

• $500/week for striking members who work 20 hours on the strike line.

• $800/week for striking members who work 32+ hours on the strike.

• $200/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).

To receive your strike benefit, sign in and out of your shift on the strike line, or if you are respecting the line, please email strike@UFCW3000.org to notify our union that you will be respecting the line but not walking the line.  All members receiving any type of Strike Benefit must have a completed W9 on file. If you haven’t already done so, please sign a W9 here >>

Join our next All Macy’s Member Call this Wednesday, January 17 at 5pm

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88212637000 to discuss the strike and next steps.

Check out the Strike FAQ for some basic information >>

See you on the strike line soon, stay warm!

PCC Update - Take Action! Info Pickets on Tuesday!

In our last session, your union bargaining team put forward a proposal. It included, among other improvements, the following demands.

• To maintain the best of our healthcare plan!

• To give us industry leading wages and a shortened path to Journey!

• To develop lasting worker representation in the governance of PCC as well as a path to a worker ownership that would give us a share of future PCC success!

Unfortunately, despite our efforts to come up with creative ways to achieve a good contract, PCC was unwilling to offer a response to our proposal. As a result, we have requested to go to mediation for our next bargaining sessions. PCC has agreed to this option.

With months of bargaining behind us, where PCC has been unwilling to offer wages that even match what others in the industry achieved years ago, it is time that we show PCC how serious we are about securing a great contract!

To demonstrate strength of our solidarity, we want every available worker to join us on December 19 from 1:00pm – 3:00pm at the various locations where we are holding Informational Pickets:

• Columbia City 3610 S Edmunds St, Seattle, WA 98118

• Issaquah 1810 12th Ave NW, Issaquah, WA 98027

• Green Lake Village 450 NE 71st St, Seattle, WA 98115

• Edmonds 9803 Edmonds Way, Edmonds, WA 98020

• Redmond 11435 Avondale Rd NE Suite 101, Redmond, WA 98052

• Central District 2230 E Union St, Seattle, WA 98122

UFCW 3000 Announces 3-Day Strike at Macy’s Across Western Washington

A group of Macy's workers and supporters at an informational picket earlier this year.

UFCW Local 3000 members at Macy’s have been engaged in contract negotiations with their employer for over 8 months. Over the course of negotiations Macy’s has engaged in unfair labor practices (ULPs) that have interfered with the bargaining process, refused to agree to sensible safety language, and is offering most workers a meager 50 cents annual wage increase all while proposing to eliminate their wage scales.

Workers have had enough, announcing a 3-day unfair labor practice strike that will begin on Black Friday and carry through the busy holiday weekend. Strikes will be held at Union Macy’s stores at Southcenter Mall in Tukwila, Alderwood Mall in Lynnwood, and Bellis Fair Mall in Bellingham.

UFCW Local 3000 members across all industries can help striking Macy’s workers by signing up for a shift on the strike line. You can also RSVP to the Macy’s Striking Workers Parade, which will kick off the ULP strike to great fanfare at the Southcenter location on Black Friday!

Strike Shift Sign-Up

Sign up for a shift on the strike line at any of these Union Macy’s:

• Southcenter Mall in Tukwila

• Alderwood Mall in Lynnwood

• or Bellis Fair Mall in Bellingham

Macy’s Striking Workers Parade

9 AM on Black Friday (11/24)

Southcenter Mall (Tukwila)

A parody of the iconic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, this event features speakers advocating for striking workers, towering inflatables, and a Cher impersonator!

Candlelight vigil for patient safety at Providence Everett

Join nurses, community, and patients at this candlelight vigil. Support nurses in their upcoming ULP strike for patient safety. Nurses are fighting for their community and patients. Show Providence we stand united!

November 16 at 5:30PM Vigil at the Drew Nielsen Neighborhood Park (Colby Ave & 13th St, Everett, WA 98201). Vigil begins at 6PM.

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ADD YOUR NAME: Pledge to Support Nurses on Strike! >>