We need your help to stop Kroger union-busting in Virginia
SIGN THE PETITION
TELL KROGER TO RESPECT ASSOCIATES’ CHOICE
We, the undersigned, call on Kroger to stop union-busting in Virginia and respect the free choice of workers to unionize with UFCW Local 400. Workers at several stores have spoken – they want to join UFCW Local 400. It is time for Kroger to recognize their voice and respect their choice.
BACKGROUND
For more than 20 years, Kroger has engaged in an effort to keep the union out of new stores in the Richmond and Tidewater area of Virginia, in violation of its collective bargaining agreement with UFCW Local 400.
UFCW Local 400 has filed grievances and won arbitrations and federal rulings in their favor, but the company has continued its anti-union campaign. Just look at the record:
- In 2000, Kroger acquired 20 stores from the Hannaford Brothers chain and then refused to comply with its contractual obligations to let UFCW Local 400 organize the stores’ employees. Kroger relented only after the union filed a lawsuit against the company.
- In 2004, Kroger opened a new store, #525, outside of Richmond and then threatened to arrest UFCW Local 400 representatives if they entered the store as they had every right to do. The workers were able to organize only after an arbitrator ruled that Kroger had violated its contractual obligations.
- In 2013, Kroger opened a new, large format “marketplace” store, #540. Kroger unilaterally declared that it was an “associate choice” store and engaged in an anti-union campaign against UFCW Local 400. It took four years of litigation before an arbitrator found that this was Kroger’s third anti-union campaign and ordered the payment of damages. Kroger then filed suit to reverse the ruling in federal court and failed. Ultimately, Kroger was ordered to pay nearly $250,000 to UFCW Local 400.
- In 2014, Kroger purchased the non-union Harris Teeter chain. Ever since, it has operated these stores on an anti-union basis and fought all attempts by workers to organize.
- In 2018, Kroger purchased Farm Fresh stores in the Richmond-Tidewater area and reopened many of them as Kroger stores. The company continued its anti-union campaign at those newly purchased stores, despite the fact that they were subject to the same remedies in the arbitration over store #540.
There are 22 union stores under UFCW Local 400’s Richmond/Tidewater contract with Kroger. Kroger operates another 12 stores as non-union, but UFCW Local 400 has signed up a majority of associates at nine of those stores (and are close to a tenth) as of July 21, 2024. But for more than 18 months, the company has refused to recognize the union.
On top of refusing to recognize the union at a dozen new stores, over the years, Kroger has closed at least four union locations and replaced them with non-union stores. If we allow Kroger to be successful in its anti-union campaign in Virginia, there’s nothing to stop the company from expanding the program nationwide and unionbusting everywhere. Now we must stand together as one union and demand Kroger respect associates’ choice to join UFCW.
