Richmond/Tidewater Contract Negotiations Update
Did you know? Some Kroger stores in Virginia are non-union. That’s because for the last 20 years Kroger has been running a campaign to keep the union out of new stores in the Richmond and Tidewater area. Some of these stores are former Farm Fresh locations, others are new Marketplace stores. All of them were opened as non-union stores.
Ever since then, UFCW Local 400 members have been speaking to associates at the non-union stores about joining the union. And guess what? A lot of people were ready to join! Now a majority of Kroger associates at nine stores have signed up to join UFCW Local 400, which means they should have all the benefits and protections of our union contract.
But they don’t. Why? Because Kroger is refusing to recognize their choice. For the last 18 months, the company has used constant delay tactics to keep associates at these nine stores from getting under contract.
Enough is enough. Kroger needs to respect workers’ choice to unionize. As we negotiate our next Richmond/Tidewater contract with Kroger, we are going to insist that stores where a majority of associates have joined UFCW Local 400 should fall under our union contract. It’s not fair that they don’t receive the same benefits and protections just because of Kroger’s delay tactics. We won’t settle a contract until every member gets the same treatment.
We are circulating a petition to management to call on Kroger to respect the free choice of workers to unionize with UFCW Local 400. Please add your name to the petition and let’s send a message to the company that we are united as one union.
A map of Kroger nine stores where a majority of associates have signed up to join UFCW Local 400 but Kroger refuses to respect their choice.