Thousands Strike at Denver-Area King Soopers Stores

Some 10,000 grocery workers in the greater Denver area went on strike against 77 of the region’s 121 King Soopers stores on Feb. 6, according to the AP and other media outlets. Members of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 7 union voted last week by 96% to authorize a strike against the Kroger-owned supermarket, protesting what the union has called unfair labor practices that include: illegally interrogating and surveilling union members; refusing to provide information the union needs to make or consider proposals; threatening union members with discipline for wearing union clothing, buttons and other union gear; and using $8 million in retiree health benefit funds to cover pay increases.

King Soopers has vigorously denied any wrongdoing and has called the strike “premature.” “We want to be clear — the Union’s call for a strike is not about wages, healthcare or pensions,” said Joe Kelley, President of King Soopers in a statement. “It is based on allegations we believe lack merit and have yet to be validated by the NLRB [National Labor Relations Board] or any court. We are deeply concerned for our associates, who are being misled into a work stoppage that doesn’t serve their best interests.”

In a Feb. 3 letter announcing the strike, UFCW Local 7 President Kim Cordova sent a message of solidarity: “Stand Together. Stay Strong.” As of press time, the union had not responded to Retail TouchPoints’ request for additional comment.

The retailer plans to keep affected stores open despite picket lines, but operating on reduced hours during the work stoppage.

King Soopers claims it’s already a leader in retail wages, with an average hourly rate of $22.68. The company’s “Last Best and Final” contract offer, proposed on Jan. 16, 2025, includes:

• A $180 million investment in additional wages;
• A $4.50 wage increase for top-rate associates over the life of the four-year contract;
• Continuing to provide healthcare with a price increase of $3 per week; and
• Pension stability for when associates retire.

Despite an overall anti-union climate in retail, labor organizations have been achieving some wins in recent months. In late January, Costco raised wages after the Teamsters union had threatened a strike; the two parties reached a tentative agreement that avoided a strike on Feb. 1, according to the AP.

Additionally, workers at the Philadelphia flagship Whole Foods Market voted to join the UFCW last month, and in December 2024 the Teamsters union struck at seven Amazon facilities during the height of the pre-Christmas rush.