Giant Eagle, Kroger Reach Deals With Unions

Giant Eagle Supermarkets, Inc. has reached a tentative agreement on a labor contract with the union representing workers at 34 supermarkets in western Pennsylvania and two in northern West Virginia.

The tentative contract agreement with United Food and Commercial Workers (UCFW) Local 23 “well positions them and Giant Eagle for success moving forward,” the company said.

Canonsburg, Pa.-based Local 23 unanimously endorsed the tentative deal, the details of which weren’t released, according to local press reports. Union members reportedly are scheduled to vote on the deal Friday.

“We had a lot of tough issues to work through, but both sides worked really hard, stuck to it, and in the end, I think we have an agreement that both sides can live with,” said union president Anthony Helfer.

Before two bargaining sessions last week, negotiators hadn’t resolved differences on health care insurance premiums and wages, the union said.

Pittsburgh-based Giant Eagle has 164 corporate and 58 independently owned and operated supermarkets in addition to 155 fuel and convenience stores throughout western Pennsylvania, Ohio, north-central West Virginia and Maryland.

Meanwhile, members of Madison Heights, Mich.-based UCFW Local 876 unanimously ratified a new three-year contract Friday for about 12,000 workers at 118 Kroger stores in Michigan.

Union leaders said the deal achieved the membership’s top bargaining goals: protecting their health care coverage and pension benefits.

“Michigan’s poor economy and high unemployment rate made these contract negotiations very difficult,” said Roger Robinson, Local 876 president and chief union negotiator. “Despite these tough circumstances, we were able to deliver on the members’ main goals of protecting their health insurance and pension benefits.”

Members will receive hourly wage increases and bonuses throughout the term of the contract, the union said.

Based in Cincinnati, the Kroger Co. operates 2,470 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 31 states under two dozen local banner names, as well as 779 convenience stores, 375 fine jewelry stores, 909 fuel centers and 40 food-processing plants in the United States.
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