SANTA FE, N.M. – Workers with Albertson’s and Smith’s are at their wits end after they say they have been trying to negotiate a new contract since May with the two grocery chains.
“It has never gotten to this point; this is the worst it has gotten,” said Gloria Romero, who has been a cashier for more than 30 years and a member of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.
The union just filed unfair labor practices against Albertson’s and Kroger, Smith’s parent company.
Their contract expired June 15, but it was extended to June 28 to try and reach an agreement.
They told KOB Albertson’s and Kroger are not bargaining in good faith, and the union was put in a position to move forward on this vote to strike.
“This week, union members are taking votes; they are voting by secret ballot whether they want to authorize an unfair labor practice strike,” said Greg Frazier, the UFCW of New Mexico Local 1564 Union president.
Romero is on the negotiating committee for UFCW Local 1564. She said fair wages and better benefits have been difficult to agree on and negotiations have stalled.
“It feels like we aren’t appreciated. All the work that we do, we go in for 8 hours, 40 hours a week and that doesn’t really mean anything to them. That we are just there to make them money, but they don’t have feelings for the employees,” said Romero.
The union is also concerned that Albertson’s and Kroger are working together despite a federal court rejecting a merger between the two companies in 2024.
“They are not processing the grievances and the arbitration processes like they should be doing and did before. They are colluding with each other as far as where each other is with this bargaining process is and where the floor and the ceiling is. We are seeing it go on in other states as well,” said Fraizer.
In order to strike, the union needs two thirds of their members to vote for it. If that happens, the negotiating committee can call a strike whenever they feel it’s needed.
“These workers love the customers, they know them personally, they don’t want to cause them any hardship. But they want the customers to help them if they do have to strike by honoring the picket line by not shopping at these stores,” said Frazier.
“We are very hopeful, and I am very, very hopeful that this will make them think real hard and go to the table and do a fair negotiation. That is what we want,” said Romero.
Source: kob.com
