Lisa Xu at LaborNotes reports 10,000 Members of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 7 - who work for King Soopers Grocery Stores, owned by Kroger, the U.S.’s largest supermarket chain, are on Strike across the State of Colorado. The Strike covers 77 stores in Denver, Boulder, Broomfield, Colorado Springs, Parker, Pueblo and surrounding areas. The Workers, whose current contract expired on January 16th, voted by a 96% margin to authorize a two-week-long Unfair Labor Practice Strike.  While low pay is a major concern, Union Officials say a top priority is to get the companies to schedule more Workers per shift - the lean staffing approach has led to a shortage of hours for workers, unsustainable workloads for those who are on shift, and deteriorating customer service. Workplace safety is another priority, the UFCW says. Violent incidents involving customers have risen since the COVID-10 Pandemic began. In 2021, a King Soopers store in Boulder was the site of a mass shooting that left 10 dead. Among other things, Workers are asking for more diligent notification from the company when a dangerous emergency occurs within a few miles of their workplace.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: First Skirmish: Ten Thousand Grocery Workers Strike Kroger | Labor Notes

Photo Courtesy Of The UFCW International Union’s Facebook Page.