Breaking: 45,000 SoCal Grocery Workers Vote Overwhelmingly to Authorize Strike

LOS ANGELES — United Food and Commercial Workers or UFCW local unions representing 45,000 grocery store workers, June 11 announced an overwhelming membership vote in favor of authorizing their bargaining team to call for an Unfair Labor Practice ULP strike to protest Kroger and Albertsons’ labor violations throughout negotiations that have prevented workers from getting the fair contract they deserve. Kroger and Albertsons are the parent companies of Ralphs, Vons, and Pavilions grocery stores.

The UFCW Locals 324 and 770 Bargaining Committee said the following:

“The results are in, and we have overwhelmingly voted to authorize an Unfair Labor Practice strike at Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons, and Pavilions throughout Southern California. Our message is clear: we are fed up with these corporations’ union-busting tactics designed to intimidate us and prevent us from getting the fair contract that we’ve earned and deserve.  

“For four months, we’ve negotiated with Kroger and Albertsons, offering solutions to the staff shortage crisis that hurts store operations, working conditions, and customer service. The companies have dismissed our proposals and claimed that our concerns were ‘anecdotal’, downplaying the real challenges we and our customers face daily.

“At the same time, the companies have broken labor laws by engaging in unlawful surveillance, interrogation of members at actions, threats, and retaliation for union activity. This is unacceptable.

“We’re at the breaking point. We are disrespected, overworked, and undervalued by Kroger and Albertsons. We’re tired of asking these corporations to invest in their workers and customers, only to see no results. We’re tired of asking the companies to respect our labor rights and seeing our co-workers intimidated.

“This strike authorization vote means that we expect the companies to return to the bargaining table, negotiate a deal that works for everyone, and desist from their unlawful tactics, before we walk out and hit the picket lines.”

Grocery shoppers are also feeling frustrated by major grocery chains like Kroger and Albertsons, and recent reports show why. Consumer Reports caught Kroger overcharging customers by 18.4%, while the Economic Roundtable’s “Bullies at the Table” study shows 92% of workers have witnessed this practice. A customer survey conducted by UFCW Locals 770 and 324, along with LAANE, reveals most shoppers report severe understaffing at Kroger and Albertsons stores, resulting in empty shelves, unbearable checkout lines, and shifted burden to shoppers.

Forty-five thousand UFCW members across Southern California who work at Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons, and Pavilions took unfair labor practice strike authorization votes the first two weeks of June. Negotiations are scheduled to continue on June 25, 26 and 27.

Tens of thousands of additional union grocery workers across the country who are employed by Kroger and Albertsons –the parent companies of Ralphs, Vons, and Pavilions– also voted to authorize a strike last week, bringing over 100,000 grocery workers to the brink of a strike at the same time. Should the workers call a strike, it could create the largest grocery strike in modern history, and a major labor disruption for two of the nation’s largest grocery chains this summer, their busiest season of the year.

Grocery Workers Rising are employed at Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons, Pavilions, Stater Bros., Gelson’s and Super A stores. Their contracts expired on March 2, 2025. 

These 65,000 grocery workers make up the largest union grocery contracts in the nation, are rising up and fighting for:

• Living wages
• Affordable healthcare benefits
• A reliable pension
• More staffing and better working conditions for a better customer experience

Details: www.groceryworkersrising.org.