Kroger, Toledo Union Debate Contract as Extension Expires

The Kroger Co. continued negotiations with the union representing about 3,000 Toledo, Ohio-based associates as the extension of their salary and benefits contract expired over the weekend.

United Food and the Commercial Workers Local 75, which represents workers along the Interstate 75 corridor in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, was preparing an economic proposal including wages, health care and pensions as bargaining resumed Saturday. The contract for Toledo associates was scheduled to expire in April but was extended through Aug. 7.

Kroger presented workers with proposed agreements for grocery and meat department workers, the union said. “Both parties are working diligently to reach a resolution on non-economic issues. It is our priority to make the contracts easier to understand and to enforce,” union leaders noted.

Associates will continue working on a contract extension. A ratification vote scheduled for Thursday has been cancelled because negotiations are ongoing. A tentative agreement was reached regarding the clerk pension, according to the union.

Contracts covering nearly 30,000 UFCW members in Region 4 (Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Kentucky) expire this year.