Portland-area grocery union reverses endorsement of Kroger, Albertsons merger

PORTLAND, Ore. ( KOIN ) – Amid bargaining sessions, a local union representing grocery workers says it is walking back its previous endorsement of the merger between Kroger and Albertsons.

The retracted endorsement — which was first reported by The Oregonian — comes as UFCW 555 met with representatives for Kroger, Fred Meyer, and QFC on Wednesday and Thursday for bargaining sessions.

“While our Local was the only Local to publicly support the merger of Kroger and Albertsons, our Local has changed that position as a result of new information as part of the bargaining process discussions over the past two days,” UFCW Local 555 announced Thursday.

In a statement to KOIN 6 News, UFCW Local 555 Communications Coordinator Miles Eshaia said, “On August 15, Kroger issued a press release, saying that ‘Fred Meyer Delivers on Their Promise to Accelerate Associate Wages.’”

“For Fred Meyer to say they have delivered on ‘Their Promise to Accelerate Associate Wages’ is misleading at best. They have not agreed to any increases other than those negotiated by UFCW 555 as a result of the 1-day strike in 2021. They have a proven track record of not living up to their obligations, and are falling short at the bargaining table. In fact, we were forced to file a federal lawsuit asking the courts to force Fred Meyer to live up to their commitments in the current contracts with UFCW 555. As a result, we are no longer in support of the Kroger-Albertsons merger for Oregon, Idaho and Washington,” Eshaia continued.

In a press release the union noted they have been taking Unfair Labor Practice Strike Authorization votes for expired contracts in Portland throughout the week. If authorized, the union could call for a strike. The next bargaining session is slated for Aug. 19

KOIN 6 News reached out to Kroger and Albertsons. This story will be updated if we receive a response.

The revoked endorsement comes amid a lawsuit filed by the Federal Trade Commission in February in an attempt to block the $24.6 billion merger, as reported by the Associated Press . The lawsuit will proceed in Oregon and was joined by eight other states and the District of Columbia.

The judge overseeing the case is slated to consider the FTC’s preliminary injunction request on Aug. 26, AP previously reported.

In late April, a King County judge in Washington state ruled that Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Bob Ferguson’s antitrust lawsuit against the merger can continue after the companies tried to have the case dismissed.

As part of the merger, Kroger and Albertsons have planned to sell more than 180 stores in Oregon and Washington.

A Kroger spokesperson previously said they expect the stores to remain open under new ownership after the sale.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.