Home » Press Room » Archived Press Releases » Press Releases 2000 » Kroger Workers Ratify New Agreement (9/26/00)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 26, 2000

Kroger Workers Stand Firm and Win at the Bargaining Table
Food and Commercial Workers Members Ratify New Agreement with Kroger

Strike Averted by Intense Bargaining and Worker Commitment

12,000 Kroger employees and leaders of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1059 faced down the company with a strike deadline at midnight on September 21, 2000. After intense bargaining through the deadline and into the early hours of the morning, the UFCW reached a tentative agreement with Kroger that secures wages and benefits for workers in the area.

Workers voted on Sunday and Monday to accept the new five-year and six week contract with Kroger that:

  • Maintains full Kroger-paid family health care benefits. Nationwide, only 60 percent of workers have employer-provided health insurance;
  • Extends prescription drug coverage for thousands of workers and their families;
  • Secures fair wage increases, a minimum of $2.15 for full-time employees, over the duration of the agreement;
  • Provides immediate wage increases for all employees, a minimum of 35¢ upon ratification of the contract; and
  • Increases Kroger-funded pension benefits to protect workers' retirement security.
"Our members stood up for what they deserve. Their strength and commitment to stand together is the reason we were able reach this important agreement with the company," said Becky Berroyer, President of UFCW Local 1059.

"This is an outstanding package for our members. We held firm against the biggest supermarket chain in the country, for our members and for our brothers and sisters at Kroger stores across the country," said Berroyer.

Workers can call the toll-free hot line at 800-282-3228 or log onto the website at http://www.ufcw1059.com for more information. UFCW Local 1059 represents 18,000 workers in Ohio's retail industry.

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