This week, Kroger union members working at 38 stores in West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio will vote on a new contract and potential work stoppage. The Gassaway Kroger, located at 2908 State Street, is among those considering a strike.
The union’s bargaining committee has unanimously recommended members vote to reject Kroger’s latest offer and vote in favor of authorizing a strike at the company. Major issues include inadequate wage increases that don’t keep up with inflation, unacceptable increases to health care costs, and more.
The workers are members of United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 400 Union. Voting will take place in stores Wednesday and Thursday, and ballots will be tallied and results announced on Friday. If the proposed contract is rejected and a strike authorization vote passes, the committee will be empowered to call a strike at a time of its choosing. Workers will not be on strike immediately.
The potential work stoppage could impact approximately 3,000 workers at 38 stores in the three states.
United Food & Commercial Workers Local 400 is led by President Mark Federici and represents 35,000 members working in the grocery, retail, health care, food processing, service and other industries in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. www. ufcw400.org