Kroger Workers in Indianapolis Authorize Strike as Contract Talks Stall
Members of UFCW Local 700 rejected a tentative agreement by a wide margin, but union leaders say a walkout would be a last resort.
By Jian Chen ·
Unionized Kroger employees in Indianapolis are still without a new labor contract after several rounds of bargaining, and members have given their union the authority to call a strike. A strike is not certain, however, according to reporting by Mirror Indy.
The workers belong to United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 700, which represents roughly 14,000 people across Indiana, including some in food packing and manufacturing plants. At Kroger stores, the union covers everyone outside of management, gas station workers among them.
Negotiations between Kroger and the union's bargaining committee began in April. The most recent session took place on June 25, and the previous contract expired May 17.
In May, the bargaining committee reached a tentative agreement with the company. About 75% of union members voted it down. That margin of rejection also served as a strike authorization.
Union leaders have told members that a strike would be a last resort, so the vote does not guarantee a walkout.
The union's main demands center on wages and staffing. Workers say Kroger does not give them enough hours. In a June 20 update to members, Local 700 President Tracy Bartak wrote that "short staffing continues to harm our stores and place added strain on workers." She added that Kroger "must do more than acknowledge this problem. They must commit to fixing it."
The contract applies to every Kroger store in the Indianapolis area. The company says it operates 24 grocery stores in the city.
The talks come as Kroger, which is headquartered in Cincinnati, has announced plans to close 60 stores nationwide over the next 18 months. Local 700 said the company told it that two of those stores are in South Bend and Elkhart. It is unclear whether any Indianapolis locations will close, as the company did not answer Mirror Indy's questions about the closures.
A Kroger spokesperson also did not respond to emailed questions from Mirror Indy about the negotiations.
Originally published by News Media House · Source: WISH-TV
