King Soopers strike put on 100-day pauseKing Soopers strike put on 100-day pause

King Soopers and City Market employees across Colorado are headed back to work as union officials and executives of the supermarket chain return to the bargaining table over contract negotiations. 

The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) Local 7, which represents about 23,000 King Soopers and City Market employees in Colorado, said in a press release late Monday that it had secured a return-to-work settlement with the Kroger-owned grocery chain. 

The strike, which began Feb. 6, officially ended at midnight on Monday. 

UFCW said the agreement with Kroger ensures that the supermarket chain “cannot implement any offer for at least 100 days, and will not lock workers out during that time.”

Workers are also guaranteed to maintain their healthcare benefits under the settlement, and the union and grocery chain are working to agree on a date to return to the bargaining table. 

UFCW Local 7 President Kim Cordova called the strike “a big step forward.”

“Our strike was just the beginning of this effort and elevated staffing in grocery stores to a national level with more workers and allies joining together,” Cordova said. “Just like our successful campaign to stop the mega grocery merger, we won’t stop until we win better staffing and better stores for grocery store workers and customers.”

King Soopers released a statement saying it “remains committed to securing a fair agreement that protects the livelihoods of its associates while keeping groceries affordable for Colorado families.” 

“Our dedicated associates thrive when they have the certainty of a paycheck and the reassurance of industry-leading, affordable healthcare,” Joe Kelley, president of King Soopers/City Market, said in the press release.