DENVER (KDVR) — The King Soopers and City Market strike started on Wednesday morning in Colorado.
The strike started at 5 a.m. following back-and-forth unsuccessful negotiations between King Soopers and the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7.
King Soopers and City Market released the following statement, calling the decision by the UFCW Local 7 to strike, “reckless and self-serving, without regard for the implications to associates and
Coloradans.”
“Local 7 is putting politics before people and preventing us from putting more money in our
associates’ pockets,” Joe Kelley, president of King Soopers/City Market said. “It’s time for Kim
Cordova to put our associates, her members, first instead of denying them the opportunity to vote on
this unprecedented investment. Creating more disruption for our associates, their families, and
Coloradans rather than negotiating for a peaceful resolution is irresponsible and undemocratic.”
King Soopers said stores will remain open during the strike.
“We have a number of associates that work at this store that decided not to go out front, we also have somewhere in the vicinity of 300 people that we flew in from all over the country that are supporting us,” Kelley told FOX31 at the Colorado Boulevard location.
Employees on the picket lines spoke to FOX31 about why they are striking.
“I work hard, I come in early, stay late, work as much as I can for these people but I feel walked all over,” employee Tony White said.
Aside from promotion concerns, employees tell us they want more security with safety measures, pay and benefits.
“I have the lowest health insurance package right now, I can’t even afford to see my doctor,” employee Marcey Goldis said.
“Every single one of our grocery stores, we’ve had workers slapped, spit on, pushed, beat up. Our stores are getting robbed; we’ve had verbal, physical assaults in stores,” Cordova said.
Local 7 declined to accept what King Soopers described as its “last, best and final” offer Tuesday, including a $170 million package over three years. Kelley says it includes a raise for all workers and adds millions towards employee health care benefits.