Essential Grocery Store Workers’ Unions Issue Joint Statement in Response to Proposed Kroger/Albertsons Merger

UFCW 7 - UFCW 324 - UFCW 367 - UFCW 770 - Teamsters 38 - UFCW 3000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 13, 2022
Contact: Tom Geiger, 206-604-3421

Proposed Kroger/Albertsons Merger Would Be Devastating for Essential Workers and Customers 

Seattle, WA -  Today it was reported that grocery store giant Kroger could announce a deal this week to buy rival grocery store company Albertsons, resulting in a potential merger that would significantly harm local grocery store industries, essential grocery store workers, and customers across the western US from Southern California to the Canadian border to Colorado.

“The proposed merger of these two grocery giants is devastating for workers and consumers alike and must be stopped. Just as our UFCW workers stood together to negotiate landmark new contracts with both Kroger and Albertsons/Safeway within the last year across the western US, we will stand united to fight for access to nutritious food, a safe shopping experiences, and investments in good jobs in our communities. Essential UFCW grocery store workers emerged stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic, winning improved protections against the virus, store violence and other threats. Standing together, we know our voices are stronger than the corporations’ anti-worker rhetoric,” Faye Guenther, President of UFCW 3000.

This proposed merger of two of the largest grocery companies in the nation will no doubt create a monopoly in the grocery industry for many communities, with one company owning a $47 billion market share.

UFCW’s members have been a leading national voice on enforcing federal and state antitrust laws as well as forwarding the values of protecting a fair marketplace that prevents corporations from using monopoly power to exploit customers and workers. We are asking the appropriate administrative and elected officials to step in and stop this merger and protect workers and consumers.

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It's Time To Vote! Grocery Store Worker Negotiations Tentative Agreement Reached

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April 26 Info pickets CANCELED!

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April 26 Info pickets CANCELED! //

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“I’m very excited about this agreement. It is the best contract in my career. Come to the vote meetings to see the details and vote!” — Amy Dayley, QFC

Essential grocery store workers from UFCW in Colorado, California and now here in our State of Washington are gaining some of the respect, pay and protections we deserve. After months of preparation and workers taking action, marathon bargaining sessions have led to Tentative Agreements with Albertsons/Safeway and Kroger. Our Union Member Bargaining Team reached this Tentative Agreement and recommends a YES VOTE to accept the proposal from the employers.

These votes are open to all active members of UFCW 3000 Grocery Store Workers in King, Snohomish, Kitsap, Mason, and Thurston Counties at the big chains (Safeway, Albertsons, Fred Meyer and QFC) and independent stores covered by this Tentative Agreement.

CONTRACT VOTE MEETINGS

Active members are eligible to vote at whichever location is most convenient, during any time when polling is open.

All vote meetings will be open between the hours of 8:00AM — 12 Noon and 4:00PM — 8:00PM

Monday, April 25 LYNNWOOD

Lynnwood Convention Center, Rooms 1DEF, 3711 196th St SW, Lynnwood (8am–12pm & 4pm–8pm)

Tuesday, April 26 SEATAC

Hilton Seatac, Emerald Ballroom, 17620 International Blvd, SeaTac (8am–12pm & 4pm–8pm)

Wednesday, April 27 BELLEVUE

Meydenbauer Center, Rooms 404-406, 11100 NE 6th St, Bellevue (8am–12pm & 4pm–8pm)

Thursday, April 28 BREMERTON

Kitsap Conference Center, Puget Sound Ballrooms C&D, 100 Washington Ave, Bremerton (8am–12pm & 4pm–8pm)

Thursday, April 28 OLYMPIA

The Olympia Center Room 208, 222 Columbia St NW, Olympia (8am–12pm & 4pm–8pm)

Friday, April 29 SEATTLE *Additional location added!

First Floor Conference Room (Joe Crump Hall), 5030 First Avenue South, Seattle (8am-12pm & 4pm-8pm)

OUR UNION NEGOTIATIONS TEAM: 

Ames Reinhold, Metropolitan Market
Amy Dayley Angell, QFC
Aaron Streepy, Attorney
Cliff Powers, Safeway
Caprii Nakihei, Safeway
Cosmo Villini, Safeway
Eric Renner. UFCW 3000
Enrique Romero, Fred Meyer
Suzi Geffre, Fred Meyer
Faye Guenther, UFCW 3000 President
Jeff Smith, Fred Meyer
J’Nee DeLancey, Town & Country
Joanna Clapham, Fred Meyer
Joe Mizrahi, UFCW 3000 Secretary Treasurer
Kevin Flynn, Albertsons
Kyong Barry, Albertsons
Maggie Breshears, Fred Meyer
Naomi Oligario, Safeway
Roger Yanez, QFC
Sam Dancy, QFC
Sam Kantak, Teamsters 38 Secretary Treasurer
Shawn Hayenga, Metropolitan Market
Tammi Brady, Teamsters 38 President
Wil Peterson, Fred Meyer

Get to know your Negotiations Team!

Grocery Store Worker Contract Negotiations Update & Vote Notice: Tentative Agreement Reached with Kroger

After months of preparation and workers taking action, marathon bargaining sessions have now led to a Tentative Agreement with Kroger, in addition to the tentative agreement reached with Albertsons/Safeway last week. This historic agreement with Kroger, reached at 9:15 pm today, April 19, is a direct result of our actions and commitment to fighting for essential frontline grocery store workers and serving the communities in which we live, both during and long before COVID.

Our Union Member Bargaining Team reached these Tentative Agreements and recommends a YES VOTE to accept the proposal from the employers.

“This contract is a historic deal. No one in this region has seen wage increases like this ever and it will go a long way to address inequities in Fred Meyer stores.”

— Jeff Smith, Fred Meyer

“I’m very excited about this agreement. It is the best contract in my career. Come to the vote meetings to see the details and vote!”

— Amy Dayley, QFC

Essential grocery store workers from UFCW in Colorado, California and now here in our State of Washington are gaining some of the respect, pay and protections we deserve.

Active members are eligible to vote at whichever location is most convenient, during any time when polling is open. Drop by any time during the voting time, review the Tentative Agreement, get your questions answered, and then vote.

These votes are open to all active members of UFCW 3000 Grocery Store Workers in King, Snohomish, Kitsap, Mason, and Thurston Counties at the big chains (Safeway, Albertsons, Fred Meyer and QFC) and independent stores covered by this Tentative Agreement.

VOTE MEETINGS

All vote meetings will be open between the hours of 8:00 AM - 12 Noon, and 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM.

Monday 4/25 LYNNWOOD: Lynnwood Convention Center, Rooms 1DEF, 3711 196th St SW, Lynnwood (8am–12pm & 4pm–8pm)

• Tuesday 4/26 SEATAC: Hilton Seatac, Emerald Ballroom, 17620 International Blvd, SeaTac (8am–12pm & 4pm–8pm)

• Wednesday 4/27 BELLEVUE: Meydenbauer Center, Rooms 404-406, 11100 NE 6th St, Bellevue (8am–12pm & 4pm–8pm)

• Thursday 4/28 BREMERTON: Kitsap Conference Center, Puget Sound Ballrooms C&D, 100 Washington Ave, Bremerton (8am–12pm & 4pm–8pm)

• Thursday 4/28 OLYMPIA: The Olympia Center Room 208, 222 Columbia St NW, Olympia (8am–12pm & 4pm–8pm)

NOTE: The informational pickets scheduled for Tuesday, 4/26 have been cancelled.

OUR UNION NEGOTIATIONS TEAM:

Ames Reinhold, Metropolitan Market
Amy Dayley Angell, QFC
Aaron Streepy, Attorney
Cliff Powers, Safeway
Caprii Nakihei, Safeway
Cosmo Villini, Safeway
Eric Renner, UFCW 3000
Enrique Romero, Fred Meyer
Suzi Geffre, Fred Meyer
Faye Guenther, UFCW 3000 President
Jeff Smith, Fred Meyer
J’Nee DeLancey, Town & Country
Joanna Clapham, Fred Meyer
Joe Mizrahi, UFCW 3000 Secretary Treasurer
Kevin Flynn, Albertsons
Kyong Barry, Albertsons
Maggie Breshears, Fred Meyer
Naomi Oligario, Safeway
Roger Yanez, QFC
Sam Dancy, QFC
Sam Kantak, Teamsters 38 Secretary Treasurer
Shawn Hayenga, Metropolitan Market
Tammi Brady, Teamsters 38 President
Wil Peterson, Fred Meyer

Get to know your Negotiations Team! >>

Tentative Agreement Reached with Albertsons/Safeway, Negotiations Continue with Kroger to Ensure All Our Grocery Store Workers Get Treated Fairly

After months of preparation and workers taking action, marathon bargaining sessions led to a tentative agreement with Albertsons/Safeway, at 3 AM on April 14. This followed four long days of negotiations last week. Our Team will return to the bargaining table with Kroger on Tuesday, April 19. Members at our Kroger stores should continue to prepare for our Informational Pickets on 4/26 to take action on Kroger so we all gain the respect, protection, and pay we deserve. We will all stand united until we all win.

This historic agreement with Albertsons/Safeway is a direct result of our actions and commitment to fighting for essential frontline grocery store workers and serving the communities in which we live since long before COVID. Essential grocery store workers from UFCW in Colorado, California and now here in our State of Washington are gaining some of the respect, pay and protections we deserve.

This is a Tentative Agreement and is not final until you vote to accept it. We will be scheduling votes for Albertsons/Safeway members the week of April 24 through April 30. Exact dates, times and locations will follow soon.

Full details of the agreement will be provided as soon as possible. Some top line information below:

• HIGHER WAGES: Exceeds the best wage increases in our union’s history, including hard money at the top of the scale and new money throughout the pay scales.

• ADDRESSING PAY EQUITY ACROSS DEPARTMENTS: For years we have been working toward fundamentally changing pay scales so that underpaid departments are paid more equitably. This Tentative Agreement has significant wage increases for all perimeter departments such as Deli, Coffee, Bakery, E-Commerce, Floral, GMHBC, and Fuel, with integration onto a higher paid All Purpose Clerk scale.

“This new scale moves us one step closer to having a single pay scale for everyone in the store. An hour of work is an hour of work, regardless of what department you are in, and we deserve to be compensated equally.”

- Kyong Barry, Albertsons

“This is the biggest wage increase we have ever seen. This pay increase will help thousands of workers who are struggling to put food on the table and pay rent. I am glad Safeway acknowledged the needs of our workers and stepped up with the largest pay increase we have ever seen.”

— Naomi Oligario, Safeway

• PROTECTING OUR HEALTH PLAN: For another three years there will be no increased costs for members for our quality, affordable health care. At the same time we were able to negotiate improvements to health, vision, and dental insurance.

• KEEPING OUR PENSION SECURE: Our pension continues to be well-funded and secure into the future, including increases in employer contributions to our pension as our wages go up.

• IMPROVING SAFETY: We won mandates for our Master Safety Committee Meetings so we have pre-scheduled meeting dates where our employer will discuss our safety concerns directly with worker representatives.

• IMPROVING TRAINING: We raised the employer contribution to our joint union-employer training fund to create better pathways to training and better paying jobs. This will invest millions of dollars into our workforce development.

• IMPROVING RECRUITMENT & RETENTION: With dramatic pay raises throughout the store, helping address workplace safety, keeping our quality health and pension plans, and an increased investment in training and education, this will help recruit and retain workers in our stores so we can be safely staffed.

TAKING ACTION: ENSURE KROGER WORKERS WIN A FAIR CONTRACT

PREPARE TO ATTEND THE UPCOMING INFORMATIONAL PICKETS ON APRIL 26: SIGN UP TODAY

We know our customers and communities are willing to stand with us in the fight for a fair contract, and informational pickets are an important opportunity to raise our voices, join with our communities, and show Kroger we’re not backing down. There will be morning and afternoon pickets across the region on Tuesday, April 26:

8a-12p:

• Fred Meyer #122, 100 NW 85th St, Seattle, WA 98117

• Fred Meyer #215, 25250 Pacific Hwy S, Kent, WA 98032

• Fred Meyer #681, 2801 Bickford Ave, Snohomish, WA 98290

• QFC #863, 1009 Monroe Ave, Enumclaw, WA 98022

• QFC #871, 4800 NE 4th St, Renton, WA 98059

• QFC #872, 9999 Holman Rd NW, Seattle, WA 98117

2p-6p:

• Fred Meyer #111, 33702 21st Ave SW, Federal Way, WA 98023

• Fred Meyer #28, 14300 1st Ave S, Burien, WA 98168

• QFC #808, 10116 NE 8th St, Bellevue, WA 98004

OUR UNION NEGOTIATIONS TEAM: 

Ames Reinhold, Metropolitan Market
Amy Dayley Angell, QFC
Aaron Streepy, Attorney
Cliff Powers, Safeway
Caprii Nakihei, Safeway
Cosmo Villini, Safeway
Eric Renner. UFCW 3000
Enrique Romero, Fred Meyer
Suzi Geffre, Fred Meyer
Faye Guenther, UFCW 3000 President
Jeff Smith, Fred Meyer
J’Nee DeLancey, Town & Country
Joanna Clapham, Fred Meyer
Joe Mizrahi, UFCW 3000 Secretary Treasurer
Kevin Flynn, Albertsons
Kyong Barry, Albertsons
Maggie Breshears, Fred Meyer
Naomi Oligario, Safeway
Roger Yanez, QFC
Sam Dancy, QFC
Sam Kantak, Teamsters 38 Secretary Treasurer
Shawn Hayenga, Metropolitan Market
Tammi Brady, Teamsters 38 President
Wil Peterson, Fred Meyer

Get to know your Negotiations Team!

Richland Fred Meyer Bargaining Update

Our Richland Bargaining Team met Tuesday, April 12 with Fred Meyer to begin the negotiation process. Our committee drafted and made contract proposals to create our new union contract that includes:

• Workplace Safety, contract language that would improve training and safety in the store and create avenues to address safety concerns that are not addressed at the store level.

• Just Cause, making sure that workers cannot be terminated or discipline without a reason.

• Grievance procedure, to give workers the ability to challenge any unjust discipline or violation of our new contract.

• Recognition, making it clear that the contract will cover workers at the Richland Fred Meyer.

• Health and Welfare, ensuring workers will have access to affordable high-quality healthcare.

• Union Security, to ensure that we have a strong store for years to come.

Unfortunately, Fred Meyer did not make any formal responses to our proposals. Although we hoped and were available to bargain sooner, we look forward to our next bargaining meeting with Fred Meyer on Monday, May 9 and Tuesday, May 10 and anticipate that Management will have responses to our proposals.

The push for a first contract continues! While our team meets and continues to work diligently leading up to next bargaining sessions, we need to stay UNIFIED in our fight for a good first contract.

Attend a Contract Action Team Meeting for updates on what our Team is working on:

Tuesday, April 19 • 9am or 6pm

Friday, April 22 • 12pm or 8pm

UFCW 3000 Tri-Cities Office • 2505 Duportail St, Suite D Richland, WA 99352

Your Richland Fred Meyer Bargaining Team: Jeremy Brewer, Eden Hill, Kelly Swallow, Todd Davis, Brandyn Farrell-Parker, Suzanne Geffre, Melissa Lozano, Roxanne Reynolds

Grocery Store Workers Have Right to Wear Black Lives Matter Buttons

For Immediate Release: September 17, 2021
Contact: Tom Geiger, UFCW 21, 206-604-3421

Grocery Store Workers Have Right to Wear Black Lives Matter Buttons

National Labor Relations Board Tells Kroger’s QFC and Fred Meyer to Reach Settlement or Change Policy

Seattle, WA -- Region 19 of the National Labor Relations Board has informed UFCW 21 of its finding that Fred Meyer and QFC – both Kroger companies – violated federal labor law when it prohibited workers from wearing union-sponsored Black Lives Matter buttons.

Specifically, Region 19 found merit in UFCW 21’s charges that Kroger violated the law by: 1) failing to bargain with the Union over a change in workplace conditions – in this case the practice of allowing the wearing of buttons at work; and 2) prohibiting workers from taking action together – in this case, by wearing Black Lives Matter messages – to protest racism in the workplace and in society, generally.

Region 19 will now seek a settlement agreement with Kroger, which would likely require a change to company policy. If a settlement cannot be reached, Region 19 would typically issue a formal complaint and a trial would be held before an Administrative Law Judge, whose ruling would be subject to an appeal to the NLRB in Washington D.C.

“This is very uplifting. When workers were trying to speak out through these buttons and collectively say Black Lives Matter and Kroger said to take the buttons off, that was an insult. This decision is welcome news in our work to bring attention to social and racial injustice in the workplace and in our neighborhoods”, said Sam Dancy a Front End Supervisor at the Westwood Village QFC in West Seattle, WA.

Motoko Kusanagi, a Front End Checker at the University Village QFC in Seattle reacted, “We wore the pins because it seemed like the right thing to do. My coworkers showed me their pins happily, letting me know they stood in solidarity with me and my family. One of the core values of the store is inclusion, so we did not think “Black Lives Matter” was a radical statement for this business. The amount of pushback we received for such a small showing of support still sits wrong with me to this day. I’m glad we could fight back.”

UFCW 21 President Faye Guenther concluded, “In the wake of this welcome action by the NLRB, we are calling on Kroger to respect workers’ rights and take meaningful steps to address racial inequities in Kroger workplaces. Among other things, Kroger needs to do a better job of hiring and promoting African Americans at every level of the company and making it clear that it will not tolerate racism from customers or employees.”

Background

After Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd on May 25, 2020, many UFCW 21 members working in grocery and retail stores chose to express their opposition to racism by wearing face masks (otherwise worn for protection from COVID) or other items bearing the Black Lives Matter slogan.

Although Kroger issued public statements expressing sympathy with the Black Lives Matter movement, managers at Kroger-owned stores in Western Washington started ordering UFCW 21 members to remove Black Lives Matter masks in June 2020.

 UFCW 21 responded to the company’s Black Lives Matter ban by collaborating with Fred Meyer and QFC workers to distribute union-sponsored Black Lives Matter buttons with the UFCW 21 logo. When managers banned the Union buttons, UFCW 21 filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board. Kroger’s ban and the Union response received widespread local and national attention.

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UFCW 21 represents over 46,000 workers at grocery stores, retail, health care and other industry jobs.

Grocery Store Workers Survey

Listening to workers’ ideas and priorities, and taking action together makes all the difference

Throughout the pandemic Grocery Store Workers have been standing up and making their voices heard - The information collected in this survey will help set our priorities for next year’s Bargain with the Employer.

To begin choose your work location

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Bert’s Red Apple / Birchbay Market / Camano Plaza Market / Claus Meats / Cost Cutter – Blaine / Don & Joe’s Market / Everson Market / Farmhouse Market / Food Pavilion / Forks Thriftway / Haggen / Hilltop Red Apple / Metropolitan Markets / Poulsbo Red Apple / Ralph’s Red Apple / Saar’s Market Place / Town & Country / Uwajimaya / Vashon Market / Vashon Thriftway / Village Market Thriftway / West Seattle Thriftway / Other

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You are invited to participate in a research survey of grocery store workers across Washington. This survey is not sponsored by any of these grocery stores, chains, or parent companies. The purpose of this survey is to provide clear and accurate information about the economic condition of grocery workers. As we approach a new contract bargaining cycle, the information this survey provides will be crucial to ensuring that members' priorities will be represented at the bargaining table. This survey will ask about the work you do, your family, your housing, and your ability to pay for basic costs.

The survey should only take 15 to 20 minutes to complete. Your answers in this survey will remain confidential.

United Actions calling out Kroger for Store Closures and Bully Tactics

MEDIA ADVISORY for Thursday, April 8, 2021 at 11 AM

For immediate release: April 7, 2021

CONTACT: Tom Geiger, UFCW 21, 604-3421

Grocery Store Workers and Community in Long Beach, LA, and Seattle To Call Out Kroger for Bullying and Store Closures   

The Kroger Co. Announced Closures of Seven Neighborhood Stores to Avoid Paying Workers a Temporary Wage Increase After Profiting $2.6 Billion During the Pandemic, Investing Earnings on Stock Buybacks Instead

Seattle, WA – On Thursday, April 8th, essential frontline grocery workers, community members, and supporters in California and Washington will host a symbolic “donation collection” in front of stores set to close, to help raise funds for the top supermarket chain in the country to pay its workers temporary hazard pay and call on Kroger Co. to keep stores open. 

In a theater performance style, workers and community members will ask shoppers to donate pennies in a collective piggy bank to pitch in and help pay essential workers to shame Kroger over its greedy behavior.

Kroger owns the California Ralphs and Food 4 Less stores and Washington QFC stores slated to shut down. The corporation falsely claims that these supermarkets are closing as a result of hazard pay when in reality it was a clear effort to intimidate workers, the community, and elected officials in an attempt to discourage any additional hazard pay ordinances from passing. 

Thursday’s actions will symbolize the extreme disparity between the company’s windfall COVID profits and its decision to cut workers’ pay since May 2020, despite persistent elevated sales and risk to employees.  

WHO:   Workers, customers, and community members in Long Beach, Los Angeles, and Seattle 

WHAT: Simultaneous demonstrations in LA, Long Beach & Seattle. Workers and community members impacted by the store closures will call out Kroger’s bullying and the greed that is driving their retaliatory actions closing stores that workers and communities depend on.

WHEN:  Thursday, April 8, 2021, at 11 AM

VISUALS: Blow-up piggy bank, jumbo pennies, and donation stand in front of the store

WHERE:  Wedgwood QFC at 8400 35th Ave NE, Seattle           

BACKGROUND: Local hazard pay ordinances have been passed in cities across California and in Washington, honoring workers for the sacrifice they make coming to work in a pandemic while others can work from home. In response to these temporary ordinances, Kroger Co. is the only grocery company announcing they will close stores instead of complying with the laws. Numerous requests for injunctions by the grocery industry challenging the hazard pay laws have been denied.

According to a Brookings Institution analysis, many of the United States’ top retail companies have earned record-breaking profits during the pandemic, but this increase in profit has not made its way back to workers. Grocers nationwide instead used their excess pandemic profits to buy back shares all the while threatening to close down stores and misleading the public that hazard pay would have to be passed onto consumers. 

Kroger Bargaining Update

Yesterday the Bargaining Teams for UFCW 21 and Teamsters 38 met with Kroger to bargain over our working conditions and hazard pay throughout the pandemic.

We were able to agree to an extension of our original COVID LOU that included benefits like quarantine pay through the end of April. The extension includes new improvements of notification to our union of COVID cases with 24 hours and to members within 8 hours when possible, increases to mask and face shield availability, and increased training for workers assigned to work as a vaccine “observer”. Kroger committed to meeting again in late April.

“Today was an important first step but we know there is still a lot of work to do to win better pay for Essential Workers.” 
-Kroger Bargaining Team 

We are happy to win improvements to our current agreement but are still committed to fighting for:

• Reinstatement of $2 per hour Hazard Pay.

• Stronger enforcement of safety measures, including enforcement of masks and store capacity limits.

• Moving Clicklist and Fred Meyer Pharmacy Techs to the higher Grocery A scale.

• Adding hours to the store to address increased need for sanitation and to enforce social distancing.

• Extending the premium pay of an extra $1 per hour for Pharmacy workers beyond April 8.

Join the fight to demand that Kroger, Fred Meyer and QFC put our safety & communities before profits.

Sign the Strike pledge card today>>

OUR KROGER GROCERY STORE BARGAINING TEAM

Maggie Breshears, Greenwood Fred Meyer
Sam Dancy, Westwood Village QFC
Amy Dayley Angell, Ballard QFC
Irene Garcia, Auburn Fred Meyer
Christina Harris, Lake City Fred Meyer
Wil Peterson, Everett Fred Meyer
Jeff Smith, Snohomish Fred Meyer
Joanna Clapham, Benson Plaza Fred Meyer
Faye Guenther, President UFCW 21
Joe Mizrahi, Secretary Treasurer UFCW 21
Samantha Kantak, President Teamsters 38
Steven Chandler, Secretary Treasurer Teamsters 38
Tammi Bradey, Recording Secretary Teamsters 38
Jim McGuinness, Attorney

Kroger Bargaining update: We refuse to be intimated by bully tactics

Yesterday, our UFCW 21 bargaining team made cost-saving proposals to Kroger's QFC representatives that we believe would help keep the Capitol Hill and Wedgwood QFC stores stay open.

In a clear attempt to intimidate workers and city governments, Kroger announced it would close these stores at the end of April, the company blamed its decision on increased costs due to the Seattle City Council’s passage of a temporary $4 per hour hazard pay mandate for grocery store workers on the front lines of the pandemic.

“We met with Kroger's QFC representatives today and presented creative cost-saving proposals that we believe would help keep these stores open. We eagerly await Kroger's response and we remain committed to fighting for the pay that essential workers deserve. We refuse to be intimidated by Kroger’s bully tactics” -Our QFC Bargaining Team

Like other large grocery companies, Kroger has profited from the COVID pandemic as consumers shifted to at-home meal preparation. In 2020, Kroger’s profits increased 53% to $2.74 Billion, and the company funneled $1.9 Billion to investors through dividends and stock buybacks.

UFCW 21 members have been taking action to fight back against Kroger’s bullying by continuing to push Hazard Pay ordinances across the state, speaking out in the media, sitting down with the employer to bargain over the store closures and gearing up for the start of Grocery Store Bargaining in 2022.

Join hundreds of community members that are standing up to Kroger and QFC's bullying - Sign the Petition!>>

Or Text “NOBULLY” to 52886

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RSVP to upcoming Grocery Store CAT (Contract Action Team) meetings>>

OUR QFC BARGAINING TEAM
Sam Dancy, QFC Westwood Village
Amy Dayley Angell, QFC Ballard
Robin Hillistad, QFC Uptown
Jeff Alexander, QFC Wedgwood
Stefanie Cook, QFC Capitol Hill
Faye Guenther, President UFCW 21
Joe Mizrahi, Secretary Treasurer UFCW 21
Jim McGuinness, Attorney

Kroger Update - March 5, 2021

Yesterday, the UFCW 21 bargaining team demanded that QFC bargain with us before finalizing a decision to close two Seattle stores.

On February 16, 2021, Kroger-owned QFC announced that it would close QFC 804 in Capitol Hill and QFC 873 in Wedgwood. In a clear attempt to intimidate workers, QFC blamed the store closures on the Seattle City Council’s passage of a $4 per hour hazard pay mandate.

“We have seen increased sales with the pandemic, QFC can afford the temporary hazard pay, and by the time the stores close they will already have paid out a lot of it. By picking on two of the smallest stores in Seattle, Kroger is simply looking for the least costly way to intimidate workers in Washington and around the country who are standing up for hazard pay.”

— Our QFC Bargaining Team

Sam Dancy, QFC Westwood Village

Amy Dayley Angell, QFC Ballard

Robin Hillistad, QFC Uptown

Jeff Alexander, QFC Wedgwood

Stefanie Cook, QFC Capitol Hill

Faye Guenther, President UFCW 21

Joe Mizrahi, Secretary Treasurer UFCW 21

Jim McGuinness, Attorney

Like other large grocery companies, Kroger has profited from the COVID pandemic as consumers shifted to at-home meal preparation. In 2020, Kroger’s profits increased 53% to $2.74 billion, and the company funneled $1.9 billion to investors through dividends and stock buybacks. 

UFCW 21 members have been taking action to fight back against Kroger’s bullying by continuing to push Hazard Pay ordinances across the state, speaking out in the media, and sitting down with the employer to bargain over the store closures. 

As Their Profits Soar, Kroger Announces Closure of Two Seattle Grocery Stores in Retaliation for Hazard Pay Law

For immediate release: 2/16/21
Contact: Tom Geiger, 206.604.3421, or tgeiger@ufcw21.org

Statement from UFCW 21

As Their Profits Soar, Kroger Announces Closure of Two Seattle Grocery Stores in Retaliation for Hazard Pay Law

Today, Kroger publicly announced the closure of two QFC stores in Seattle, in a transparent attempt to intimidate other local governments from passing ordinances that would provide hazard pay to front line grocery store workers. Essential workers, our local government, and our communities will not be threatened by this corporate bullying.

The COVID pandemic has caused serious illness and taken lives, and at the same time the amount of work and the level of stress and risk for grocery store workers has risen dramatically. Early on, companies like QFC agreed to pay $2/hour in hazard pay to employees all across the nation in acknowledgement of the risks workers faced and the essential nature of their work during a national crisis. Then they cut that pay in May -  with no explanation. Kroger’s profits continued to soar, as did COVID cases, and as more and more people got sick, and more and more people shopped for groceries, restaurants and schools closed.

Workers have tried for months to get the hazard pay that was cut re-instated. But month after month the pay cuts were kept in place. The level of stress grew, as did concerns about safety, higher workloads, fewer workers on shift, more customers, and rising COVID cases in stores. Several places in California passed local hazard pay ordinances. Kroger  announced the closure of two stores in that area in retaliation against that local hazard pay law.

In January, things had reached a breaking point and, working with Seattle City Council, UFCW 21 members were able to help pass a local and temporary $4/hour hazard pay law. That pay went into effect on February 3. Kroger announced their Seattle store closures on February 16.

Today’s announcement by Kroger to close these two Seattle QFCs is a case of over-the-top greed and bullying, and it shows how out of touch Kroger is with our community. The public overwhelmingly supports hazard pay and supports our grocery store workers. Other grocery chains, including PCC locally, have actually expanded hazard pay to stores beyond Seattle and Burien which have now passed new hazard pay laws. Kroger’s closures threaten workers, as well as shoppers and our local community. We need safety concerns addressed and we need hazard pay expanded.

Kroger’s intent seems perfectly clear: They are announcing these closings to try and intimidate any other local communities here in our state or around the nation from passing hazard pay. If Kroger cares about their employees and the local communities in which they operate, they should expand hazard pay and improve store safety practices, not file lawsuits and close our neighborhood stores.

Fred Meyer QFC Bargaining Update

"Today, we offered Fred Meyer & QFC multiple opportunities to work with us to improve safety and provide fair compensation. They showed us again that we must stand together and fight for what we need and deserve.” -Fred Meyer and QFC Bargaining Team

Today the Bargaining Teams for UFCW 21 and Teamsters 38 met with both Fred Meyer and QFC for the third time this year to bargain over our working conditions and hazard pay throughout the pandemic. The Employers decided to start bargaining off by dismissing most of our previous proposals, including proposals around increased availability of PPE like masks, gloves and facemasks. Our bargaining team came back with counter proposals on Hazard Pay, masks, capacity limits, moving Clicklist and Pharmacy Techs to Appendix A and other creative solutions on COVID safety and Hazard pay. We are committed to continue to fight for Hazard and safety measures.

Our initial proposal included:

• Reinstatement of $2 per hour Hazard Pay.

• Stronger enforcement of safety measures, including enforcement of masks and store capacity limits.

• Better notification to workers when COVID exposures occur.

• Moving Clicklist and Fred Meyer Pharmacy Techs to the higher Grocery A scale.

• Added pay including: Premiums for safety certifications, support for added childcare costs and compensation for off the clock hours after work spent keeping safe.

• Adding hours to the store to address increased need for sanitation and to enforce social distancing.

• Extending our previous agreement allowing for two-week replacement pay for COVID infections and quarantine.

At last month’s bargaining session, the employers agreed to more prompt notification of workplace COVID infections and premium pay of an extra $1 per hour for Pharmacy workers through end of March.

OUR GROCERY STORE BARGAINING TEAM

Maggie Breshears, Greenwood Fred Meyer
Sam Dancy, Westwood Village QFC
Amy Dayley Angell, Ballard QFC
Irene Garcia, Auburn Fred Meyer
Christina Harris, Lake City Fred Meyer
Robin Hillistad, N. Seattle QFC
Wil Peterson, Everett Fred Meyer
Jeff Smith, Snohomish Fred Meyer
Joanna Clapham, Benson Plaza Fred Meyer
Faye Guenther, President UFCW 21
Joe Mizrahi, Secretary Treasurer UFCW 21
Samantha Kantak, President Teamsters 38
Steven Chandler, Secretary Treasurer Teamsters 38
Tammi Bradey, Recording Secretary Teamsters 38
Jim McGuinness, Attorney

Organize for Hazard Pay in your city 

Join us on Thursday, February 11 from 6pm – 7pm for a webinar on how to introduce a Hazard Pay Ordinance in your city. 

We have seen the organizing efforts of our members pay off in Seattle and Burien to pass hazard pay for essential grocery workers. We will be hosting a webinar to talk about how to start this process in your city, how to get your coworkers involved, and hear from some of the members who are doing the work now.

UFCW 21 and Teamsters 38 Bargaining Team Continue to Push for Hazard Pay

Today the Bargaining Teams for UFCW 21 and Teamsters 38 met with both Fred Meyer and QFC for the second time this month. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have been pushing for hazard pay and safety protection. Taking action, filing grievances on the removal of hazard pay, demanding to bargain over the effects of COVID and joining with our community partners and other unions up and down the West Coast. Today, management rejected our proposal to reinstate hazard pay along with other proposals on compensation and ways to make the workplace safer. We will not stop until essential workers gain the respect they deserve.  

“Kroger expects the same level of service from its employees regardless of the steps needed in the current COVID environment. Extra work is required to make the safest possible shopping experience for customers and employees. Extra hours are not added to do the extra things needed! Safety steps seem to be overlooked due to pressure coming from upper Management. The priority has not been for safety but for profit.”  — Robin Hillistad, QFC, Uptown 

JOIN THE FIGHT: Sign up if you are interested in taking action at your workplace for Essential Workers, Hazard Pay, and Safety. Sign up for actions here >>

SPEAK UP: Why is hazard pay important to you and your coworkers? Share a quick video or written message! Share why hazard pay is important to you >> 

TESTIFY: These days, speaking before city council can be done from your own home or break room because meetings are held online. Live or work in Seattle or Burien? Sign up for more information, and we’ll connect with you when there’s a city council hearing you could speak at! Sign up to speak at a council meeting >> 

START SOMETHING: Do you want to bring up a hazard pay ordinance in your city or county? Sign up and a UFCW 21 organizer will connect with you for a training on how to move an ordinance through your city! Sign up for a training on organizing for hazard pay ordinances >> 

Next bargaining date: 

We will be meeting again with Fred Meyer and QFC on February 9 

Previous Bargaining Updates: 

Bargaining with Albertsons/Safeway is set for January 22 and we are continuing to pursue bargaining with other grocery employers  

Join us for a special Grocery Store Worker 
Telephone Town Hall! 
Tuesday, January 19, 6:30PM 

Call-in number: 888-652-0383 Meeting ID: 5662 
 
Join to discuss bargaining and hazard pay ordinances, get your questions answered, and connect with other union grocery store workers. Expect a call from us around 6:30, but if you miss the call or don’t receive one, just call in yourself with the number and meeting ID! 

 
OUR KROGER GROCERY STORE BARGAINING TEAM
Maggie Breshears, Greenwood Fred Meyer
Sam Dancy, Westwood Village QFC
Amy Dayley Angell, Ballard QFC
Irene Garcia, Auburn Fred Meyer
Christina Harris, Lake City Fred Meyer
Robin Hillistad, QFC Uptown
Wil Peterson, Everett Fred Meyer
Jeff Smith, Snohomish Fred Meyer
Joanna Clapham, Benson Plaza Fred Meyer
Faye Guenther, President UFCW 21
Joe Mizrahi, Secretary Treasurer UFCW 21
Samantha Kantak, President Teamsters 38
Steven Chandler, Secretary Treasurer Teamsters 38
Tammi Bradey, Recording Secretary Teamsters 38
Jim McGuinness, Attorney
 

Kroger Bargaining Update: Employer Agrees to First Step toward Higher Pay for Pharmacy Techs

Kroger Bargaining Update: Employer Agrees to First Step toward Higher Pay for Pharmacy Techs

Since our last bargain in 2019, the UFCW 21 grocery store bargaining team has remained strongly committed to getting more members across the store onto comparable wage scales that would respect our work across all different departments. In this bargain we have proposed moving Clicklist and Pharmacy Techs to the Grocery A payscale as an important part of fair compensation for our work during the ongoing COVID crisis.

Today we reached an agreement with Kroger on a first step toward pay parity, when they agreed to a $1/hour raise for Pharmacy Techs from January – March 2021. We made it clear that this does not affect our existing proposals around hazard pay or bringing Clicklist and Pharmacy Techs onto the Grocery A scale and we will continue to push those.

“During this pandemic we have continued to serve our communities with added risk. We have been trying to get a higher wage that we deserve from Kroger for a long time now, this is definitely a win. We know this is only the first step and we are continuing to fight for higher wages, hazard pay and other premiums.” -Joanna Clapham, bargaining team member and Pharmacy Tech at Benson Plaza Fred Meyer 

A reminder of our top proposals to the employers:

• Reinstatement of Hazard Pay.

• Stronger enforcement of safety measures, including enforcement of masks and store capacity limits.

• Better notification to workers when COVID exposures occur.
  (Kroger has agreed!) ✔️

• Moving Clicklist and Fred Meyer Pharmacy Techs to the higher Grocery A scale (Kroger has agreed to a $1/hour increase for Pharm Techs Jan-Mar)

• Added pay including: Premiums for safety certifications, support for added childcare costs and compensation for off the clock hours after work spent keeping safe.

• Adding hours to the store to address increased need for sanitization and to enforce social distancing.

• Extending our previous agreement allowing for two week replacement pay for COVID infections and quarantine. (Kroger has agreed!) ✔️

Next bargaining date: Tuesday, January 19 
See the last Kroger bargaining update here 

We have also confirmed a first bargaining date with Albertsons/Safeway (January 22) and are continuing to pursue bargaining with other grocery employers. 

UFCW 21 Members Continue to Call for Hazard Pay

“We don't have the option to stay home and be ‘safe,’ we have to be in the stores, around customers without masks coughing on everything! They don't keep their distance from us and most of them laugh when asked to please not be so close. We deserve extra pay for putting ourselves at risk so the companies can make money.” -Terry Lake, shop steward at Auburn Fred Meyer 

ADD YOUR VOICE: Why is Hazard Pay important to you? https://www.videoask.com/fvc0fgc52

OUR KROGER GROCERY STORE BARGAINING TEAM

Maggie Breshears, Greenwood Fred Meyer
Sam Dancy, Westwood Village QFC
Amy Dayley Angell, Ballard QFC
Irene Garcia, Auburn Fred Meyer
Christina Harris, Lake City Fred Meyer
Robin Hillistad, N. Seattle QFC
Wil Peterson, Everett Fred Meyer
Jeff Smith, Snohomish Fred Meyer
Joanna Clapham, Benson Plaza Fred Meyer
Faye Guenther, President UFCW 21
Joe Mizrahi, Secretary Treasurer UFCW 21
Samantha Kantak, President Teamsters 38
Steven Chandler, Secretary Treasurer Teamsters 38
Tammi Bradey, Recording Secretary Teamsters 38
Jim McGuinness, Attorney

Employers and Lawmakers need to keep hearing from us!

Sign up if you are interested in taking action at your workplace for Essential Workers, Hazard Pay, and Safety.

Kroger Bargaining Update: Hazard Pay needed now more than ever

Today the Bargaining Teams for UFCW 21 and Teamsters 38 met with the employers for both Fred Meyer and QFC to bargain over our working conditions and hazard pay throughout the pandemic.  

“Today we had a chance to share stories about working through a pandemic. We shared that now, during some of the most dangerous times of the pandemic, safety enforcement has decreased in the stores and hazard pay is more important than ever. Stores are struggling with mask enforcement and social distancing because there are too many customers in the stores and not enough staff. We told the employer that every day we come to work we put ourselves and our family at risk.”

- Wil Peterson and Maggie Breshears 

Our proposals to the employers included: 

• Reinstatement of Hazard Pay.

• Stronger enforcement of safety measures, including enforcement of masks and store capacity limits.

• Better notification to workers when COVID exposures occur.

• Moving Clicklist and Fred Meyer Pharmacy Techs to the higher Grocery A scale

• Added pay including: Premiums for safety certifications, support for added childcare costs and compensation for off the clock hours after work spent keeping safe.

• Adding hours to the store to address increased need for sanitization and to enforce social distancing.

• Extending our previous agreement allowing for two week replacement pay for COVID infections and quarantine.

The employer agreed to an extension of for extra COVID leave, as well and more prompt notification of workplace COVID infections. They will continue to analyze other proposals and we expect a full response when we meet again on January 19.

Why is Hazard Pay important to you?

Our Kroger Grocery Store Bargaining team 

Maggie Breshears, Greenwood Fred Meyer
Sam Dancy, Westwood Village QFC 
Amy Dayley Angell, Ballard QFC
Irene Garcia, Auburn Fred Meyer
Christina Harris, Lake City Fred Meyer
Robin Hillistad, N. Seattle QFC 
Wil Peterson, Everett Fred Meyer
Jeff Smith, Snohomish Fred Meyer
Joanna Clapham, Benson Plaza Fred Meyer
Faye Guenther, President UFCW 21
Joe Mizrahi, Secretary Treasurer UFCW 21
Samantha Kantak, President Teamsters 38
Steven Chandler, Secretary Treasurer Teamsters 38
Tammi Bradey, Recording Secretary Teamsters 38
Jim McGuinness, Attorney 

Kroger agrees to meet with our Bargaining Team

Kroger leadership has agreed to begin negotiations with our Grocery Store Bargaining Team on January 5, 2021, after months of prolonged pressure and actions from grocery store workers, our communities, and our union leadership. Our bargaining teams’ message is clear:

• Essential grocery store workers need hazard pay now. We see now, more than ever how fundamental our grocery store workers are to the health and prosperity of our communities during a crisis. Whether it is a snowpocalypse or a pandemic, everyone relies on grocery store workers for food and supplies. It’s time to recognize and respect that essential work requires essential pay.

• Enforce the safety measures mandated by the State and the CDC including sanitizing workstations and surfaces, controlling and enforcing occupancy limits on overcrowded stores, providing PPE for workers, and mandating PPE for customers in the stores.

• Notify workers immediately when there is a COVID exposure and allowing workers to quarantine with pay. Workers should not have to choose between a paycheck and our health and safety (and the health and safety of the entire store).

• A clear and equitable plan for vaccine rollout to grocery store workers who are on the front lines.

• Fair pay equity for all departments and job classes. Workers in every department worked hard before this crisis and have continued to work selflessly and with great risk to ourselves and our families throughout this pandemic.

In the coming weeks we hope our other grocery store employers will decide to put safety and respect over profits and greed for the benefit of our grocery store workers and communities.

Keep on the lookout for the Billboard-mobile! Our roving billboard is driving all over Washington State calling for HazardPay and safer grocery stores, if you see it in the wild take a photo and share it!

Meet our Grocery Store Bargaining team! 

Maggie Breshears, Greenwood Fred Meyer

Sam Dancy, Westwood Village QFC

Amy Dayley Angell, Ballard QFC

Irene Garcia, Auburn Fred Meyer

Christina Harris, Lake City Fred Meyer

Robin Hillistad, N. Seattle QFC

Wil Peterson, Everett Fred Meyer

Jeff Smith, Snohomish Fred Meyer

Joanna Clapham, Benson Plaza Fred Meyer

We continue to update ufcw21.org/covid with important resources like;
What to do if there is a positive or suspected case of COVID in the workplace, Resources for refusing unsafe work assignments, COVID FAQs, Grocery Store Report, and Washington State DOH reporting.

Grocery Store COVID-19 Safety Checklist

Coronavirus is a serious workplace health hazard. All employers have a responsibility to provide a workplace free of safety and health hazards. If your grocery store employer is not complying with any part of this checklist, contact your Union Rep or file a safety report with UFCW 21 at safetyreport@ufcw21.org.

If you are not a UFCW 21 member and have questions about your safety at work, text a UFCW 21 organizer at: 803-820-2121

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SAFETY CHECKLIST FOR GROCERY STORES IN WASHINGTON STATE

SIGNAGE:

• Conspicuous signage at entrances and throughout the store with occupancy limits, policy on face coverings, six-foot physical distancing guidelines, and instructing customers to stay home if they are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19

• 6-foot distance markers in checkout lines and other high-traffic areas to maintain 6 feet of physical distancing

PHYSICAL DISTANCING & BARRIERS:

• 6-foot physical distance is maintained and enforced between all workers and all customers in all interactions at all times

  • Where strict 6-foot distancing is not feasible for a specific task, physical barriers (e.g., plexiglass shields) and other measures like limiting staff or customers in an area, or staggering break times and work times are used

• Building occupancy is limited to appropriate level required by state or county regulations – As of 11/16/2020: 25% of building occupancy according to fire code, not including staff

• Contactless payment systems, automated ordering, and pickup or delivery are used wherever possible

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT:

• Cloth facial coverings are worn by every employee not working alone on the jobsite unless their exposure level dictates a higher level of protection

  • Reusable cloth face coverings are used when risk for transmission is low

  • Disposable masks are required when risk for transmission is medium, e.g. stocking produce around customers during store hours

• Face coverings are cleaned or replaced after use or when damaged or soiled, are not shared, and are properly stored and discarded

• Other personal protective equipment (PPE) is provided such as face masks, gloves, goggles, face shields as appropriate/required for

INFECTION CONTROL:

• All workers are screened for COVID-19 symptoms at the beginning of each shift

• Employees who feel or appear sick or have any symptoms of COVID-19 are immediately sent home

• Employer completes all necessary steps when a positive or suspected positive COVID-19 cases is identified in the workplace

  • This includes notifying all close contacts of the positive or suspected positive worker(s) and allowing positive or suspected positive worker(s) to stay home and recover and all close contacts to stay home and quarantine for 14 days, regardless of whether close contacts are symptomatic

  • This also includes cordoning off areas where someone with probable or confirmed COVID-19 worked, touched surfaces, or spent any prolonged amount of time and following all CDC protocols to clean, sanitize, and disinfect the workplace before reopening them

Find all steps and expectations for when there is a confirmed or suspected COVID-19 case identified in the workplace here > >

• A site-specific COVID-19 Supervisor is designated by the employer for the individual store

  • Worksite COVID-19 Supervisor monitors health of employees

  • Worksite COVID-19 Supervisor enforces COVID-19 job site safety plan

HANDWASHING & HAND SANITATION:

• Handwashing required when arriving at work, taking breaks, using the bathroom, before and after eating/drinking/using tobacco products, and after touching contaminated surfaces

• Frequent and adequate handwashing maintained throughout the day

  • Workers get breaks to wash hands regularly

• Handwashing facilities have clean and hot or tepid water, soap, and paper towels and these are kept stocked

• Hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol) provided for workers and customers

SANITATION OF WORKPLACE, SURFACES, & EQUIPMENT:

• Housekeeping schedule with frequent cleaning and sanitizing and an emphasis on surfaces that are regularly touched (“high touch” surfaces)

  • Sanitize and disinfect high touch surfaces frequently (e.g., restrooms, checkout counters, shopping cart handles, door handles)

• Operating hours allow enough time to thoroughly clean, sanitize, and disinfect facilities between shifts

• Increase frequency of washing utensils

• Disposable gloves available and used for shared tools

• Employee equipment including handhelds/wearables, scanners, radios, other tools are properly cleaned and disinfected before and after use

• Fitting rooms (if available) are disinfected by an employee with appropriate supplies and PPE after each new customer use

• Any items used by customers in fitting room and not purchased are removed from inventory and stored for no less than 24 hours

• IN KING COUNTY: A designated sanitation worker is designated at all times to continuously clean and sanitize commonly touched surfaces according to CDC guidelines

• IN KING COUNTY: There is a way to sanitize shopping carts and basket handles (can be with available wipes for customers or workers who sanitize between each use)

CUSTOMER COMPLIANCE & ENFORCEMENT:

• Business does not serve customers or visitors who aren’t wearing face coverings

  • Individuals with medical conditions or disabilities are exempt from this requirement and are not required to carry proof of the condition or disability

  • Employer should offer to provide accommodation such as curbside pickup, delivery, or non-peak hour shopping for these customers

• Customers must wear a face covering anytime they are not seated, and if seated anytime they are not eating

  • If seated dining is permitted by the state/county at the time, customers may remove face coverings to eat and drink, but must wear face coverings when sitting and not eating

  • As of 11/16/2020: All common/congregate seat areas and indoor dining facilities must be closed

PUBLIC HEALTH & COVID PLANNING COMPLIANCE:

• Employer has a written plan addressing physical distancing, protective equipment, hygiene, cleaning, communication, screening, and disinfection of contaminated areas onsite and available to regulators

• Employer notifies local health department within 24 hours if 2 or more employees develop confirmed or suspected COVID-19 within a 14-day period, or if employer suspects COVID-19 is spreading in the workplace

• Employer cooperates with public health authorities in investigation of suspected and confirmed cases and outbreaks

• Employer cooperates with infection control measures including isolation, quarantine, and environmental cleaning

• Employer complies with all public health authority orders and directives

• Employer fully complies with Washington’s High-Risk Workers Protection proclamation

TRAINING:

• All workers are trained in the language they understand best about:

  • Signs & symptoms of COVID-19

  • How to prevent COVID-19 transmission

  • The employer’s COVID-19 policies (these must inform workers about the steps being taken in the workplace to establish social distancing, increased handwashing, and to prevent the spread of the virus

  • Handwashing length, duration, and frequency

  • Appropriate PPE use

  • Safe use of chemicals used to clean, sanitize, and disinfect

RIGHT TO REFUSE UNSAFE WORK

• Workers who refuse to perform unsafe work do not suffer adverse action as long as their work refusal meets certain requirements (Refer to our UFCW 21 Q&A on unsafe work assignments here)

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MORE INFO FROM STATE AND COUNTY DEPARTMENTS

Note: Where there is a contradiction between these documents and one requirement is stricter than another, the stricter requirement should be enforced.

• Summary of General Workplace Requirements from L&I

• Phase 2 in-store retail guidance from the Governor’s office

• Grocery guidance & requirements from the WA Department of Health

• King County Public Health guidance for grocery stores
  

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Shopping in a grocery store or have friends and family who might help hold grocery store employers accountable for a safe workplace and shopping experience? Fill out a Grocery Store Report at GroceryStoreReport.com

Bernie Sanders Joins UFCW 21 and UFCW 7 demanding Safer Stores and Fair Compensation For Essential Grocery Workers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 14, 2020

Contacts: 
Tom Geiger | tgeiger@ufcw21.org | 206-604-3421
Bridget Bartol | bbartol@skdknick.com | 954-594-0689

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) Joins UFCW Local 7 and Local 21 in Letter to Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen Demanding Safer Stores and Fair Compensation For Essential Grocery Workers

Unions representing 42,000 Essential Grocery Workers in Colorado, Wyoming & Washington State Urge Kroger To Reinstate Hero Pay of $2/Hour In Pandemic

DENVER – At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kroger Co. implemented a Hero Pay bonus of $2/hour for Essential Grocery Workers, calling grocery workers “heroes” because of their extraordinary sacrifice and dedication to the company and its customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 17, 2020, the company stripped away the Hero Pay bonus program and has since relaxed safety protocols in stores. Seven months later, COVID-19 cases are higher than ever before throughout the country, yet Kroger’s employees who risk their health at work went from being treated as Heroes to Zeros by the company.

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) joined Kim Cordova, President of UFCW Local 7 of Colorado and Wyoming, and Faye Guenther, President of UFCW Local 21 of Washington State, which together represent 42,000 Essential Grocery Workers, sent a letter to Kroger Co. CEO Rodney McMullen, urging him to ensure that workplaces are safe and to reinstate the $2/hr. Hero Pay bonus for all grocery workers across the country. 

An excerpt from the letter below:

“You often mention your experience as a stock boy to reaffirm to the public and shareholders that you're committed to seeing things through your customers' eyes. The time has come for you to see the risks through the eyes of your workers. Your inaction only increases the fear and anxiety that our members deal with as they walk into work each day.

“Hundreds of thousands of UFCW members work to keep YOUR stores clean, YOUR shelves stocked, and YOUR business running. Their work has enabled the large increases in sales and higher profits you've reaped since the pandemic began. Yet, they are working in fear, they are working in danger, and they are working without adequate support and respect from their employer, Kroger. They are risking their health and that of their families to keep America's food supply chain running and the country fed.  It is time that YOU take care of Kroger's frontline Essential Workers like they are taking care of your customers.”

A PDF of the letter can be found HERE, and the text of the letter is below: 

December 14, 2020

Dear Mr. McMullen,

We write to you as UFCW Local Union presidents, representing 30,000 Essential Workers at Kroger Co. stores across Colorado, Wyoming, and Washington State. Together with U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT), we hope and expect you are taking substantial time to work with the current and incoming administration to ensure that your grocery store Essential Workers are a priority for a COVID-19 vaccination. We write today to urge you to take the necessary and responsible steps to improve stores' safety and compensate Kroger Essential Workers fairly by immediately reinstating Hero Pay ($2/hr.) to all workers across the country.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage our communities and stores more than ever and, as we navigate this especially hazardous winter season, it is imperative to recognize the dangers Essential Grocery Store Workers face. Our members, your employees, are at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19, yet these heroes are being denied the Hero Pay you awarded them at the beginning of the pandemic. Kroger's employees went from Heroes to Zeros. As we continue to witness a severe and alarming increase in worker case numbers, store safety must significantly improve to stop the spread. Preventive measures include enforcing mask requirements, reinstating and enforcing strict shopper limits to allow social distancing for all in the stores, improved staffing on all shifts so there is sufficient coverage to enable all workers to take COVID-19 sanitation breaks where they can conduct extra hand-washing and have allotted times to wipe and disinfect all areas of the store.

As a company, you initially recognized the dangers of this virus, implementing a Kroger Hero Pay bonus of $2/hr. in March, you coordinated better staffing for the extra work needed to clean stores, allowing more frequent breaks to wash hands and other safety measures. Yet, case numbers and deaths have risen exponentially since you prematurely claimed that we were "beginning to see a return to normal," and you ill-advisedly relaxed safety protocols and stripped away hazard pay on May 17, 2020. These decisions blatantly disregarded the dangers Essential Grocery Store Workers faced, not just by going into work but also by weakening them financially when dealing with COVID-related hardships, such as lack of childcare due to homeschooling, sick relatives, and additional medical costs.

Since Kroger stripped away Hero Pay, COVID-19 infections among these Essential Grocery Store Workers have exploded among our members. For example, there have been 491 positive cases, a 692% increase, and three deaths, among Local 7 members alone: James McKay, Karen Haws, and Randy Narvaez. As recent COVID cases in Washington have reached record levels, we see cases of grocery workers on a significant rise, and several outbreaks have been reported in just the last two weeks. In some cases, these outbreaks include more than a dozen cases in only one store.

Underneath those numbers, we see the threat to communities of color, which make up a majority (50%) of our nation's Essential Workers-- and an even more significant proportion of the food and agriculture workforce.

You often mention your experience as a stock boy to reaffirm to the public and shareholders that you're committed to seeing things through your customers' eyes. The time has come for you to see the risks through the eyes of your workers. Your inaction only increases the fear and anxiety that our members deal with as they walk into work each day.

Hundreds of thousands of UFCW members work to keep YOUR stores clean, YOUR shelves stocked, and YOUR business running. Their work has enabled the large increases in sales and higher profits you've reaped since the pandemic began. Yet, they are working in fear, they are working in danger, and they are working without adequate support and respect from their employer, Kroger. They are risking their health and that of their families to keep America's food supply chain running and the country fed.  It is time that YOU take care of Kroger's frontline Essential Workers like they are taking care of your customers.

Every day wasted is another day our members risk contracting COVID-19 at a Kroger store. Another day, our members are not paid fairly for the dangers they face conducting essential work. Kroger must reinstate Hero Pay immediately. Kroger should be a leader by ensuring their profits, made possible by Kroger's employees, are at least partially used to keep them and our shoppers safe and secure.

That is why we call on you, Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen, to reinstate Hero pay immediately because, as you stated, Essential Grocery Store Workers are heroes. They were heroes at the beginning of the pandemic, and they continue to be the unsung heroes keeping Kroger and the country moving forward.

Sincerely,

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders                                   

Kim Cordova, UFCW Local 7 President

Faye Guenther, UFCW 21 President 

# # #  

Local 7, the largest Union in Colorado, is affiliated with United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, which represents over 1.3 million workers in the United States and Canada, and is one of the largest private sector Unions in North America. UFCW members work in a wide range of industries, including retail food, food processing, agriculture, retail sales, and health care. Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

UFCW 21 represents over 46,000 workers in grocery store, retail, health care and other industry jobs across the state of Washington

Press Advisory: Puget Sound Grocery Store Workers Speak Out for Hazard Pay, Staffing and Safety

Advisory

For immediate release: Monday November 23, 2020
Contact: Tom Geiger. 206-604-3421

Puget Sound Grocery Store Workers Speak Out for Hazard Pay, Staffing and Safety

Thank you to all who attended, if you missed this online webinar where unionized grocery store workers share their experiences and feelings about improved safety and reinstating hazard pay you can watch it here.

Grocery store workers here in Washington and around the nation continue to go to work every day, risking exposure to the deadliest virus in over one hundred years. Despite these risks and the dramatic increase in sales and profits that grocery stores have recorded since the beginning of the pandemic, the hazard pay that had been put in place in March was cut by early summer. Workers are also feeling a lack of sufficient staffing at a time when the need for sanitizing and breaks are paramount. Unionized workers have continued to press for the hazard pay and improved safety procedures. With the recent new spikes of exposure, positive cases and deaths, workers are re-doubling efforts for safety, staffing and hazard pay.

Background:

Nine months into the pandemic front line workers like grocery store workers are still going to work every day, exposed to the virus and concerned with safety.  Early on during the pandemic, many stores like Safeway, QFC and Fred Meyer began paying workers an additional $2 an hour in hazard pay. In addition, we won increased safety protocols grocery store workers had been demanding, such as frequent disinfecting, wiping down carts and check-out stands, installing plexiglass, limiting the number of people inside the store to be able to allow shoppers to socially distance, asking shoppers to wear masks and allowing workers to take frequent breaks to wash hands and maybe get some fresh air.

At the very beginning of March 2020 our nation had its second recorded death from Covid. By the end of that month, the death toll had surpassed 1,500. By the early summer, in all counts, the pandemic had already taken a massive toll, was still out of control, and there was no end in sight. However, while profits and sales at grocery stores soared, workers’ hazard pay was inexplicably cut.  Workers who continued to do essential and hazardous work were apparently not worth the extra $2 an hour. Unionized workers’ protests delayed the pay cuts in some places for a month, but by mid-summer, it was all taken away.

Fast forward to today: our nation has recorded over a quarter million COVID deaths. The slow-down in daily rates of infection and deaths has now turned around, with spikes and new records set throughout the month of November. Workers continue to be exposed, but safety protocols in many stores seem to have become more lax, and reduced staffing has made it very difficult to take the time to do the extra work required to disinfect the store, check-out stations and carts, as well as making it hard to take more frequent rest breaks to wash hands and get fresh air. And the hazard pay that was cut from workers’ weekly checks has still never been reinstated.

Unionized grocery store workers in Washington and around the nation this week are calling out for improved safety, including safer staffing, and a reinstatement of hazard pay for hazardous work.

Grocery Store Workers speak out:

"As a grocery cashier, at least at my store, the best analogy I can give you is that every day is like that Snowmageddon period, where we had lines as far back as we could see, and we didn’t have enough cashiers. Customers are so used to it that they don’t even think about complaining, and the corporate heads think they can get by with it. It’s not because they can’t hire enough people; they’ve hired plenty of people. They just want to have a minimum crew and maximum profits. So we get worked to death because there’s fewer of us doing the work of many.  - Wil Peterson, 17-year Kroger employee 

"To my customers, I say you don’t need to be accepting these long lines. We have 13 check stands in my store. Today there were only 2 cash registers open. This is ridiculous. We’re speaking up about it. We’re working through our union to get a safer store. The way it is now means more strain on everybody — more work for us, customers in the store longer, backed up in the aisles, even though experts seem to say people should keep their shopping trips to 30 minutes. How can they do that if corporate isn’t listening to them and to us?" - Wil Peterson, 17-year Kroger employee 

“I just also want the company to work to keep me safe, and not run me into the ground. Our work is a lot more stressful than it used to be. In our department, we’ve grown in size but we’ve grown even more in how many orders are coming in. Everyone is tired. Everyone is getting worn down. Sections of the store can get so crowded, it’s impossible to keep social distancing and still meet our timelines for fulfilling orders. And I’m very conscious of the risk I’m exposed to. My partner is a nurse, and we have a lot more potential exposure than the people we know who can work from home. That risk is something that I don’t get to leave behind when I leave work—I carry it home with me. My job takes up so much more space in my life now.

On top of all this, on top of them cutting the hazard pay we were getting at the beginning of the pandemic, we’re getting squeezed to be more productive. We push trolleys with the orders we’re preparing all around the store, and they just increased the capacity of those trolleys by 50%. Now they’re so big we can’t see past them around corners, and they’re 50% heavier to push around all day. Lately, the only things any of us are talking about is how tired and sore we are. People are saying they don’t know how much longer they can stay. We are working on these issues through our union, but if our employers can’t commit to keeping us safe, we’re going to lose people who are experienced, who know how to do this work and care about it.” - Amanda, QFC Clicklist

“Through all of this, wanting to give good service, keep our workplace safe for ourselves and our customers, we’re getting nothing from our employers. We got a small amount of hazard pay in the spring and then it was taken away, just like that. They just put $100 on our Advantage cards recently as a little bonus, and it feels like a slap in the face. “

Click here to file a safety report on your neighborhood store and help keep our Grocery Store Workers and our Communities safe.

“We’re back in the throes of it all. We’re here working on the front lines and we don’t feel appreciated. It’s not fair. I’m pissed off. I’m tired. My family’s health care depends on this job. I’m a cancer survivor and I’ve fought to maintain our great union health care for years, I’m proud to work here. I love my customers, but this is so hard. “

“We need hazard pay. We need fully staffed stores so we can keep ourselves and our customers safe. We need respect from our employers—we’re the ones running these stores every day. “ -Amy, QFC

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