After months of uncertainty Kroger employees are eager to see what their employer is offering to avert a threatened strike. UFCW Local 400 reported a tentative agreement with Kroger Friday. Faced with the real possibility an imminent strike would occur, Kroger reportedly has agreed to fully fund health care benefits. Details have yet to be shared with employees, but the union is recommending the latest offer be ratified. Union members had a first full look at the latest contract proposal and are expected to vote on it this week. An overwhelming vote to strike just over a week ago may have pushed the envelope and prompted the employer’s latest offer.
Greg Nahodil, lead shop steward of Local 400 at Kroger in Hinton, said Sunday there are 67 union employees and “over 75 percent of them have spouses and families.”
Nahodil said he is feeling a sense of relief, but this may still not be over. “I haven’t seen the contract offer yet, and there’s still a chance the contract could be voted down. Negotiations have been ‘stop and go’ since the summer and it has been a stressful time. Many employees have had little choice but consider the possibility of having to seek other jobs if negotiations continued to stall.”
Nahodil continued, “Some employees have been postponing shopping for Christmas because of the uncertainly over their jobs. Workers have been holding the line on health care benefits.”
In anonymous discussions with employees at Kroger, many say they have heard there will be a vote this week. Meantime, without full details, it is difficult to know what to think. One young man stocking shelves in the Hinton grocery store said there may be increased work hour requirements for some workers to continue to receive full health care benefits. Of concern, he said, is an older part time employee who would possibly be required to work extra hours to receive the benefits, hours that could pose an even bigger hardship for her during the pandemic.
“She has children, grandchildren, who require her attention with schoolwork as remote learning takes up a lot of her time at home,” he said. “When the kids can’t go to school it makes it hard for her to put in the additional time at Kroger to for eligibility for the health care benefits. We just don’t know yet.”
Nahodil said many of his coworkers have postponed any spending in preparation for the holidays. “A lot of the workers say they are wanting to go Christmas shopping now after putting it on hold.” Unfortunately, he continued, “we are still waiting to learn more about the contract the company is offering. I haven’t yet seen or read it, but a vote will be held Friday at Beckley Crossing Kroger location.”
