Some 3,000 union workers at 38 Kroger grocery stores in West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio have rejected a new contract proposal and authorized a strike that could take place “at any moment,” the United Food & Commercial Workers Local 400 announced on Friday.
A Kroger spokesperson could not immediately be reached for comment.
UFCW released two statements on Friday, announcing that its members voted 1,375 to 214 (87%) to reject Kroger’s contract proposal and 1,347 to 229 (85%) to authorize a strike.
The union initially said a work stoppage could begin as early as Friday but said later in the day that contract negotiations have resumed.
Four of the stores are in Kroger’s home state of Ohio, two are in Kentucky, and the remainder are located throughout West Virginia.
“This vote has sent a powerful message to Kroger that they must do better if they expect us to ratify a contract,” the union’s bargaining committee said in an announcement. “Now, we are ready to sit down with the company and negotiate an agreement that we can recommend for ratification. If not, we are ready to continue to do whatever it takes to get a fair contract. By sticking together, we will win.”
The union said West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services both requested the union to reconvene contract negotiations with the grocer.
“Following today’s overwhelming strike authorization vote, we are hopeful that Kroger is prepared to negotiate an agreement we can recommend for ratification,” the union said in a press release.
Union members will hold rallies at three stores on March 11 at 4 p.m. in the West Virginia cities of Morgantown, Charleston, and Beckley.
“In the meantime, we’ll be spending the next week in stores answering your questions and recruiting and training members as picket captains to help lead the strike if and when it is called,” the union said.