King Soopers and Safeway Labor Talks Continue in Colorado
Labor negotiations between King Soopers and Safeway unionized employees in Colorado and the respective retailers are continuing ahead of a contract expiration. On Jan. 2, United Food & Commercial Workers Local 7 shared an update on its Facebook page, reporting that the group’s bargaining committee met with King Soopers/City Market representatives and came away with “miniscule” changes to the latest offer.
“Despite the union providing four new proposals and two extensive language proposals, the company chose not to respond to those proposals and instead made only slight changes to the same comprehensive proposal from Dec. 17, 2024. The member-led bargaining committee made its frustration clear to the company,” the representatives declared.
The Dec. 17 revised offer from King Soopers covered a wide range of topics. For example, the agreement calls for managers to retain the right to determine hours and start times for shifts to be worked within each department and store, with shifts not less than four hours or more than eight hours at straight time. Overtime pay was also addressed, as King Soopers offered overtime compensation at the rate of time and a half the employee’s base hourly rate of pay for those hired before Jan. 2, 2025 and for all time worked in excess of 8.5 hours in any one days, among other criteria.
Meanwhile, UFCW Local 7 reported on Dec. 31 that its representatives are resuming bargaining talks with Safeway on Jan. 4 and 5. The union is seeking fair wages, “safer” working conditions and better benefits.
The failed merger between the parent companies has added another layer to the labor situation. Following two legal rulings in December, Albertsons, which runs the Safeway banner, terminated the nearly $25 billion deal with The Kroger Co., which owns King Soopers.
This isn’t the first labor dispute between the UFCW Local 7 and grocery employers in that market. In January 2022, King Soopers workers went on strike for 10 days before reaching an agreement with the retailer.
