Talks Continue on Kroger’s Toledo Contracts

Federally mediated negotiations were expected to continue Saturday over contracts for about 3,000 Toledo, Ohio-based Kroger associates.

The contract for store employees represented by United Food and Commercial Workers Local 75 expired in April. Associates continue to work on a contract extension while negotiations unfold.

“Both parties are working diligently to reach a resolution and a fair contract,” the union local said in statement. “It is our priority to preserve your health benefits and retirement security, merge the non-food and grocery contracts, and make the agreements easier to understand and enforce.”

In other news, contracts for members at Chief Lake stores have been extended for one year, to Aug. 18, 2011. The union said this extension will allow members to explore options for health care benefit coverage under the provisions of legislation passed this year, and permit the union to better assess the company’s viability in these markets.

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