Fred Meyer Closure FAQ, Tele-Town Hall Scheduled for Thursday
/Dear Grocery Store Workers,
This week Kroger announced plans to close four Fred Meyer stores in the Puget Sound region, including stores in Everett, Kent, Lake City, and Redmond.
Our members built a fighting union exactly for moments like this one. Our size and strength give us the power to push back against giant corporations like Kroger and Albertsons when they try to disrupt our lives and communities with store closures.
To that end, in the coming days our union bargaining team will sit across the table with Kroger with a list of demands to ensure fairness during this process.
In the meantime, below you'll find frequently asked questions about store closures, along with actions we plan to take to fight back against this corporate greed.
Give them a read, get involved, and get in touch with your union rep if you have any other questions >>
STORE CLOSURE FAQ
Is the company obligated to place us at another store?
All of our grocery contracts ensure that the company must offer workers placement in other nearby stores based on seniority following a closure.
Where can I find the seniority language in our contract?
Fred Meyer Grocery: Article 3
Fred Meyer General Merch: Article 5
Fred Meyer Meat: Article 11
If I move to another store, do I keep my same position?
The move to All Purpose Clerk (APC) for grocery and general merchandise workers gives members the opportunity to flex toward departments other than their home one to pick up hours.
Do these closures impact my retirement benefits?
Generally, our pension plan requires you to work for five years before you can draw on the pension during retirement. If you have not worked for five years, then you will not receive pension benefits when you retire. For specific questions, please contact Sound Retirement Trust at (206) 282-4500.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Read up: To learn more background information on these closures, read our union's press releases.
Release 1 >> Release 2 >>
Speak up: UFCW 3000 will host a 30-minute telephone town hall with all grocery store members at 4:30 PM on Thursday, August 21. We'll be answering any questions you have about these closures. Call in using this number: 844-227-7556. If you join a few minutes late, then just input the Meeting ID: 8789.
Stand up: Our union is currently in the process of planning ways to work with our state and local elected officials to prioritize policies that protect workers, eliminate food deserts, and ensure affordable food for all. Get involved in the process by emailing politics@ufcw3000.org and expressing your interest.
Telephone Town Hall
Thursday, August 21
4:30 PM
Call-in Number: 844-227-7556
Meeting ID: 8789