Grocery Workers Stand Strong: Taking on Kroger & Albertsons for a Fair Contract

LOS ANGELES — On Feb. 13 the United Food and Commercial Workers or UFCW bargaining team, representing over 50,000 grocery workers in California, will begin negotiations with Kroger and Albertsons, two of the nation’s largest grocery chains. As part of the Grocery Workers Rising campaign, workers are fighting for improvements that ensure better conditions for employees and a positive shopping experience for customers.  

With their contracts expiring in early March, thousands of grocery employees across Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions, Stater Bros., Gelsons, and Super A are uniting and rising up to demand fair contracts.  

In 2022, workers secured a contract that led the nation in wage increases and expanded hours. However, rising costs of housing, food, and gas have eroded those gains, leaving many workers struggling to afford basic necessities despite their critical role in the food industry. 

Grocery store workers are on the frontlines of corporate greed, including understaffed stores and stagnant wages. While these employees have worked to contribute to the companies’ massive profits, corporations have prioritized massive payouts to CEOs and shareholders instead of reinvesting into stores or employees.   

Grocery workers are rising up like never before to change that, demanding living wages, affordable healthcare, reliable pensions, and improved staffing levels and working conditions. These jobs should provide enough to support a family, offer affordable health benefits, and ensure a secure retirement after a lifetime of work.  

This fight is not just for workers –it’s also about providing customers with a safe, efficient and enjoyable shopping experience.

The Grocery Workers Rising campaign recently launched its website, (http://www.groceryworkersrising.org), and social media accounts to amplify their efforts. Workers are signing petitions to store management calling on Kroger and Albertsons to provide fair wages, secure benefits, sufficient hours, more full-time positions, and better staffing.  

The campaign will officially kick off with a rally at 3:30 p.m., Feb. 28, in Buena Park. Over 1,000 grocery workers from across Southern California are expected to attend, holding a program, picket line, and engaging with customers.  

Background 

Seven UFCW Locals represent over 50,000 members at Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions, Stater Bros., Gelson’s and Super A, forming the largest union grocery contract in the nation. The contracts, set to expire on March 2nd cover UFCW Locals 8GS, 135, 324, 770, 1167, 1428, and 1442, spanning from central California to the U.S.-Mexico border.