(COLORADO) — King Soopers has filed a lawsuit accusing United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 7 union, which represents its employees, of forcing the supermarket chain to bargain with labor unions that are out of state.
At the end of January, UFCW Local 7 said union King Soopers employees voted overwhelmingly to approve an Unfair Labor Practice strike, including 96% of workers with the Colorado Springs Retail Bargaining Unit and 98% of workers with the Colorado Springs Meat Bargaining Unit.
Kings Soopers accuses UFCW Local 7 of unlawfully forcing the company to bargain with labor unions from Washington and California, to push an “impermissible agenda” at the bargaining table, rather than negotiating in good faith for its Colorado members.
“Our associates work hard every day to serve their neighbors and families in Colorado. They deserve a union that puts them first, not one that prioritizes a strategy orchestrated by out-of-state special interests,” said Joe Kelley, President of King Soopers. “We’re committed to a fair contract that delivers real wage increases, affordable healthcare, and pension stability—just like we always have. But we won’t be pressured by illegal actions that hurt our stores, our associates, or the communities that rely on us.”
King Soopers said its proposed Last, Best, and Final Offer, which includes pay raises for associates, pension stability, and comprehensive and affordable healthcare benefits, was rejected as Local 7 is pushing for demands that are influenced by unions out of state.
Local 7 said the lawsuit filed by King Soopers was baseless and frivolous, calling it an attempt to silence workers during the strike. Local 7 is confident it will defend against the lawsuit in court and it would not survive initial scrutiny by a court.
Local 7 accuses King Soopers of using the lawsuit to distract from the Company’s efforts to silence its workforce and prevent workers from reaching an equitable contract that addresses major issues like staffing, safety, and healthcare.
The union denies any allegations it is forcing King Soopers to bargain with any local union other than Local 7 and said it will defend against any attempt to prevent the workers from securing a fair contract.
President of UFCW Local 7 Kim C. Cordova said: “It is particularly galling that King Soopers is making such false allegations given the Company’s own track record of being caught lying about illegal coordination agreements with its competitor Safeway/Albertsons during the 2022 ULP strike by UFCW Local 7 workers.”
