The deal Houston-area Kroger employees agreed to in 2022 feels decades old. And in the present, they are considering going on strike to secure a more equitable deal for their labor.
The 2022 contract deal, according to the leader of their local workers’ union, was agreed to under the duress of limited in-person negotiations under the specter of the COVID-19 pandemic. Today’s Kroger workers remember how COVID put a huge strain on essential employees, which, for some people, included grocery store workers.
Since that COVID-inspired deal, local Kroger workers have spent roughly two years in a stalemate with Kroger brass.
“They took advantage of our members in my view and put them through hell. … They took too much last time, and our members are having trouble making ends meet. We have some members that are homeless. We have members living with other members because they can’t afford to get their own place.”
brandon hopkins, union president
Here’s the current situation: 1) United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 455 is working to negotiate new contracts for its 13,000-plus members who staff more than 100 Kroger stores in the region; 2) union president Brandon Hopkins said the union hopes to undo some of the issues its members have with the current deal; and 3) Kroger workers are seriously considering going on strike because from their perspective little progress has been made.
UFCW may be picking up on the worker energy exhibited in 2023 that saw workers from multiple industries organize, strike, and win concessions to their demands. Certainly, they are hoping for the same kind of success in 2024 if they choose to strike. However, their preference is for a successful negotiation that will nullify the need for a strike.
Still, the union has called a strike vote meeting for Jan. 18, when it will ask its members to authorize a potential strike if a new agreement with Kroger cannot be reached by Feb. 24, which is the expiration date of the existing contracts. Union members previously voted in favor of a strike during negotiations for the current contracts, but one did not end up materializing.
“They took advantage of our members in my view and put them through hell,” Hopkins said of prior negotiations with Kroger. “… They took too much last time, and our members are having trouble making ends meet. We have some members that are homeless. We have members living with other members because they can’t afford to get their own place.”
Along with asking for an increase in wages, which Hopkins said has not kept pace with rising inflation, the local Kroger union wants to see more workers hired, more affordable healthcare benefits, and increased access to coverage.
And similar to workers in other industries, Kroger workers are concerned with how AI and automation will impact their ability to earn a living.
Cincinnati-based Kroger, which is the largest grocery store chain in the United States, last met with local union representatives on Jan. 9-10.
Shayna Barrett, a spokesperson for the company’s Houston division, said in a statement Tuesday it is “committed to engaging in sincere negotiations with Local 455, aiming to reach an agreement that benefits both our dedicated associates and ensures groceries remain affordable for our customers.”
