Amid Union Negotiations, Food4Less Workers Overwhelmingly Vote to Authorize Strike

Members of the union which represents thousands of Food4Less and Foods Co. workers across California voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike Friday, following what they say is a pattern of labor violations.

United Food and Commercial Workers Locals 8GS, 135, 324, 770, 1167, 1428, and 1442, which together represent more than 6,000 California employees of the chains, announced a membership vote in favor of authorizing their bargaining committee to call for an unfair labor practice strike, should one become necessary.

“Food4Less executives have decided to resort to unlawful tactics instead of following federal labor law and treating the bargaining process with the respect and seriousness that it deserves,” said UFCW’s bargaining committee in a statement Friday afternoon.

“Today’s overwhelming strike authorization vote sends a clear message to the company: we will not be divided.

“It’s us and our fellow members that are in the stores day in and day out, making record profits and keeping customers happy. But Food4Less is trying to intimidate, bully, and strong-arm us into accepting a contract that is less than what we deserve and far less than what their parent company, Kroger, offers to other union grocery workers in the area.

“We know our customers and our communities are on our side, and if Food4Less/Foods Co. continues to play games with our livelihoods and drag its feet at the bargaining table, we will be forced to take action. We look forward to continuing negotiations this Monday where we will continue to stand together for the contract we deserve.”

Food4Less, which has 11 stores in the San Diego area, is a subsidiary of Kroger. On Monday, the company announced it met the union with an offer that includes more than $70 million in wage investments, which would lift salaries to $25.80 per hour by 2026 for a full-time cashier with four years of full-time experience. The proposal also would not increase employee health insurance costs over the three-year contract.

“At Food 4 Less/Foods Co., our hardworking and dedicated associates are the heartbeat of our company, and our goal is to continue to provide market-competitive wages and benefits that we know are so important to our associates and their families,” Bryan Kaltenbach, president of Food 4 Less/Foods Co., said in a statement.

“We will continue to do everything we can to balance investments in wages and overall well-being while keeping food affordable for our customers.”

Kroger also issued a statement, saying the company has “remained committed to negotiating in good faith.”

“From the start, our focus has been on reaching an agreement that benefits our hardworking and dedicated associates,” according to the company.

The bargaining committee has been in negotiations with the company since April. Today’s statement comes after all seven UFCW Locals filed unfair labor practice charges against Food 4 Less/Foods Co. last month, saying that the company undermined negotiations and workers’ rights to representation.

Union officials said the company has unlawfully surveilled of workers, prohibited them from participating in union activity, blocked them from talking to union representatives, and that it unilaterally changed the contract.

Bargaining resumes on Monday.