The contract for union employees at King Soopers and Safeway stores is set to expire in less than 72 hours. This comes as the parent companies of both grocery stores are battling it out in court over a failed merger.In 2022, Kroger and Albertsons announced an agreement to merge. Now, our partners at the Denver Post report, the unions representing the employees are denouncing both companies for planning the merger instead of hiring more staffers and lowering prices for customers.
United Food & Commercial Workers Local 7 posted on Facebook that King Soopers refuses to consider any of the proposals that are important to workers. The last time a strike happened at King Soopers, workers protested outside, giving shoppers flyers with information about different grocery stores at which to shop.The union has not said what would happen if the contract does not get approved, but history could give us insight into what this weekend holds. It is important to note Albertsons — the parent company of Safeway — said it's in negotiations with the union and did not have further comment, according to the Denver Post. Kroger said, it has invested billions of dollars to build and remodel stores, create more jobs and improve the customer experience, the Denver Post reported. As union leaders meet with these two companies, Albertsons is still pursuing a lawsuit against Kroger for millions and billions of dollars for the merger not working out