Kroger Albertsons Mega-Merger Blocked by Federal Judge

/
Kroger Albertsons Mega-Merger Blocked by Federal Judge

“The well-reasoned decisions today by both Courts make plain what union grocery workers have known all along – this mega-merger would be bad for workers who deserve a workplace where they can be paid well for their labor, be safe and be respected. It would be disastrous for shoppers who deserve competition that leads to better choices and lower prices…”

Read More

UFCW 3000 Member Story: Rebecca Ashley & Gena Galusha

/
UFCW 3000 Member Story: Rebecca Ashley & Gena Galusha

With the rising costs of living, many people are watching every penny and every paycheck, budgeting with dwindling means and having to choose what necessities to prioritize. Unions are in the fight for improving living conditions through better wages and benefits. Two UFCW 3000 grocery store members recently experienced the benefits of their union backing when they discovered issues with their pay.

Read More

Dec 3, Puget Sound Grocery Store Workers Telephone Town Hall

/

Puget Sound Grocery Store Workers
Telephone Town Hall
Tuesday December 3rd at 6 PM

On Tuesday at 6, we will be updating our Puget Sound grocery store members and discussing plans for the upcoming 2025 collective bargaining process to win improvements in our next contract. When your phone rings answer and you will join the call. Our partners in negotiations Teamsters 38, which represents grocery store workers in Snohomish County, will also be on the call with us. We will take your questions live.

With over 25,000 members to call it does take a few minutes to dial everyone, but if for some reason you have not received your call by 6:05, you can still join us by dialing: 888-652-2664 and entering meeting ID: 8278.

Rosauers Bargaining Update

/
Rosauers Bargaining Update

One of the big wins we got was Workforce Development, which is the meat apprenticeship program that is accredited with the state. Another big win was our Strong Safety Language for the first time ever in our contract. This allows the workplace safety committees to recommend trainings for each workplace and topics for the master safety committee.

Read More

Update on Proposed Grocery Mega-Merger of Kroger and Albertsons and our Ongoing Opposition

/
Update on Proposed Grocery Mega-Merger of Kroger and Albertsons and our Ongoing Opposition

For over a year the opposition grew. Press conferences, a US Senate hearing, meetings with state and federal regulators, hundreds of TV, newspaper and radio stories, actions by workers at their stores, and much more. Many months of investigation led to a series of lawsuits being filed in early 2024.

Read More

Puget Sound Allied Grocery Stores Grocery Store Workers in Denver fight to Raise Wages & Improve Staffing

/
Puget Sound Allied Grocery Stores Grocery Store Workers in Denver fight to Raise Wages & Improve Staffing

Last week UFCW 3000 President Faye Guenther along with other union staff joined UFCW local 7’s Bargaining Team in Denver as they sat down with Albertsons/Safeway and Kroger in their fight for a fair contract. This collaboration between the grocery store workers in Colorado and the over 25,000 grocery store members of UFCW 3000, whose contracts expire early next year is an important signal of strength and unity in our fight for Better Wages, Better Staffing, Better Stores. 

Read More

November Contract Action Team Meetings

/

Monday, November 18

  • Monday, November 18, 2024 6-7 pm Mount Vernon office 1810 Nth 18 ST Mount Vernon, WA 98273

  • Monday, November 18, 2024 2-3 pm Best Western Plus Hotel 33175 State Rte 20, Oak Harfbor, Wa 98277

  • Monday, November 18, 2024 6-7 pm Mount Vernon office 1810 Nth 18 ST Mount Vernon, WA 98273

  • Monday, November 18, 2024 9-10 am  Mountalke Terrace Library 23300 58th Ave W Mountlake Terrace WA 98043

  • Monday, November 18, 2024 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm  Zeek's Pizza, Lynnwood, 

  • Monday, November 18, 2024 5-6pm Port Orchard Library,  87 Sidney Ave, Port Orchard, WA 98366

  • Monday, November 18, 2024 10:30am - 11:30am Auburn Library : 1102 Auburn Way S., Auburn WA 98002

Tuesday, November 19

  • Tuesday, November 19, 2024 12pm-1pm Bothell Library - 18215 98th Ave NE, Bothell, WA 98011

  • Tuesday, November 19, 2024 4:30 - 5 pm Alfys Pizza 19121 US-2, Monroe, WA 98272

  • Tuesday, November 19, 2024 10am-11am Seattle Library: University Branch (5009 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105)

  • Tuesday, November 19, 2024 4:00pm - 5:00pm Des Moines Library: 21620 11th Ave S., Des Moines WA  98198

Wednesday, November 20

  • Wednesday, November 20, 2024 11:00am-12pm Bellevue Library 1111 110th Ave NE Bellevue Wa 98004

  • Wednesday, November 20, 2024 6:30pm-7:00pm Bellevue Library 1111 110th Ave NE Bellevue Wa 98004

  • Wednesday, November 20, 2024 5:00pm-6:00pm Jefferson Community Center, 3801 Beacon Ave S, Seattle

  • Wednesday, November 20, 2024 12pm-1:30pm Kent Panther Lake Library, 20500 108th Ave SE, Kent

  • Wednesday, November 20, 2024 5:30pm Olympia Timberland Library, 313 Eighth Ave SE, Olympia, WA 98501

  • Wednesday, November 20, 2024 1-2pm Snoqualmie Library 7824 Center Blvd SE, Snoqualmie, WA 98065

Thursday, November 21

  • Thursday, November 21, 2004 10:00am-11:00am Burien Library - 400 SW 152nd Street Burien, WA 98166  2nd floor meetig room

  • Thursday, November 21, 2024 4:300pm- 5:30pm 1409 SW 107th Street Seattle, WA 98146 - Meeting Room

  • Thursday, November 21, 2024 3:30 pm- 4:30 pm Teamsters 38 Hall 2601 Everett Ave, Everett, WA 98201

  • Thursday, November 21, 2024 9-11 am Silverdale Office, 2430 NW Myhre Rd, Silverdale WA 98383 

  • Thursday, November 21, 2024 4-6 pm Westside Pizza, 540 Washington St, Sequim WA

  • Thursday, November 21, 2024 4pm-5pm Seattle Library: Capitol Hill Branch (425 Harvard Ave E, Seattle, WA 98102)

  • Thursday, November 21, 2024 10:30am-11:30am Greenwood Library - Branch Meeting Rm: 8016 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103

  • Thursday, November 21, 2024 4:00pm-5:00pm Mercer Island Library - Small Meeting Rm: 4400 88th Ave SE, Mercer Island, WA 98040

  • Tuesday, November 19, 2024 12-1 PM Covington Library, 27100 164th Ave SE, Covington, WA 98042

Friday, November 22

  • Friday, November 22, 2024 4:30pm-5:30pm Shoreline Library - 345 NE 175th St, Shoreline, WA 98155

  • Friday, November 22, 2024 10-11am Kirkland Library Conference Room 308 Kirkland Ave Kirkland, WA 98033

  • Friday, November 22, 2024 4-5pm Crossroads Mall Community Room 15600 NE 8th St Bellevue, Wa 98008

Puget Sound Allied Grocery Stores United from Rockies to Pacific for Better Wages and Staffing

/
Puget Sound Allied Grocery Stores United from Rockies to Pacific for Better Wages and Staffing

The Colorado 10-day ULP strike by UFCW local 7 in 2022 helped pave the way for our contract negotiations that same year and the most significant wage increases we’ve ever seen. Together, united, UFCW 3000, UFCW local 7, and Teamsters local 38 will coordinate proposals and actions to show Kroger and Albertsons that again in 2025, when we stand together, we win.

Read More

Safeway Meat Warehouse Tentative Agreement Reached!

/
Safeway Meat Warehouse Tentative Agreement Reached!

After months of bargaining, our Bargaining Team reached a fully recommended tentative agreement with Safeway on October 21, 2024. This agreement includes increases to our health and pension contributions, notice for mandatory overtime, improved bereavement language, a 40 hour guarantee, clarification for sick leave accruals with one protected sick leave bank, and the largest wage increases we’ve ever had.

Read More

UFCW 3000 Member Story: Madison Chitwood

/
UFCW 3000 Member Story: Madison Chitwood

I have been with the Silverdale Safeway since 2020 working in different departments all over the store. Recently I have stepped up and taken the role of Shop Stewart at my store, because I believe my coworkers should be informed and updated on our next Contract Negotiations in 2025.  

Read More

2025 Frontline Grocery Store Worker Bargaining Survey

/
2025 Frontline Grocery Store Worker Bargaining Survey

As we plan for the upcoming contract cycle with the Employers, our Union Bargaining Team needs input from all members to understand the problems grocery store workers are facing at work and how together we can fight for a better contract and better workplaces.

Read More

UFCW 3000 Press Release: Stop the Merger Coalition Statement Regarding FTC Trial Wrap-Up

/
UFCW 3000 Press Release: Stop the Merger Coalition Statement Regarding FTC Trial Wrap-Up

We are hopeful that the outcome from this federal case will stop the proposed merger, and we will continue to watch and comment on the state cases in Washington, which began yesterday in Seattle, and Colorado, scheduled to begin on September 30 in Denver.

Read More

We Continue Our Fight Against the Kroger/Albertsons Merger as the FTC Trial Enters Final Week, More Trials to Follow

/

image001
UFCW 324 Members' Rally Was Covered on ABC 7 in LA September 13, 2024

Dear Grocery Store Members,

Since the trial of the Federal Trade Commission's lawsuit to stop the proposed merger between Kroger and Albertsons began on August 26, workers have been at the courthouse, talking to the media, and talking to customers about how damaging this would be for workers, customers, and our communities. We've been doing this work for nearly two years and we'll continue to do it until we finally put a stop to this disastrous merger.

The federal court case is expected to conclude on Tuesday, September 17, and the judge could make a decision on whether or not to approve the FTC's request for what is called a "preliminary injunction" as early as the first week of October. If the injunction is granted, the merger would be put on hold until after a full court case on the merits of the merger is done.

Meanwhile, on Monday, September 16, the Washington State Attorney General's lawsuit to block the merger will begin its trial in Seattle. The Colorado Attorney General's lawsuit to block the merger is scheduled to start on September 30.

The outspoken work of grocery store members and our community partners, as well as many enforcement agencies like the FTC and Attorneys General, have all been central to the successful efforts so far to stop the proposed mega-merger of Kroger and Albertsons.
 

Kroger's Q2 Earnings Call

Kroger held its 2nd quarter earnings call on Thursday, September 12, and it showed what we've been saying all along: Kroger is doing just fine, and doesn't need this merger to compete. Same store sales were up 1.2% (higher than expected) and the company pointed to higher online sales and increased loyalty households as drivers of stronger sales and growing private label brands as a driver of increased profitability. Notably, these areas—ecommerce capacity, customer loyalty and private label manufacturing—are ones that C&S Wholesale Grocery (the proposed buyer of 579 divested stores if a merger were allowed) lacks, underscoring concerns that C&S would not be able to operate those stores in a sustainable way.

Kroger also discussed strong profits in the pharmacy sector and acknowledged pharmacies as a leading cause of loyalty. We've pointed out time and time again that C&S has little to no experience managing pharmacies that are a lifeline to our communities.

Also of note, company officials claimed that shrink (the loss from theft or other causes) has been improving, though is still elevated, and that OSHA incident rates are currently at record lows. Members, who actually work in the stores, paint a very different picture of understaffed stores with high rates of shoplifting rates and significant health and safety risks.
 

In the News

UFCW Locals 7, 324, 400, 770, 1564, and 3000 have held press conferences, store actions, webinars and interviews to raise our concerns to the public through more than a thousand media stories from coast to coast since the very first day Kroger and Albertsons announced their proposed plan to merge. Time and again grocery store workers, sharing their experiences, have proven to be a critical part of those news stories.

Most recently, several stories around the FTC trial have been noteworthy:
  You can find more of the most recent news coverage on the Stop the Merger website news page >>

Protecting the jobs and collective bargaining strength of union workers and keeping choice and price competition for our customers are key reasons for our long-standing and loud opposition to the proposed merger. We recently launched a Stop the Merger customer petition to continue to build public support that has already garnered thousands of signatures! Please help spread the word about our petition by sharing www.nogrocerymerger.com/petition.

We hear from customers all over the country that Kroger and Albertsons' proposed mega-merger threatens our communities with store closures, food and pharmacy deserts, thousands of laid-off unionized grocery store workers, and higher prices.

You can take action by encouraging your co-workers, family members, fellow shoppers, friends, and others in the community to sign the petition to show Kroger and Albertson that they are opposed to this disastrous proposal.

Sign and share the petition >>

In solidarity,
The Stop the Merger Coalition