Kowalski’s Markets workers authorize a strike

Workers at six Kowalski’s Markets in the Minneapolis area have authorized a three-day unfair labor practices strike next month, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 663 announced Tuesday.

The move follows an “overwhelming membership vote” on Monday that authorized the strike, the union said, noting that workers would call off the strike if there is progress at the bargaining table.

The strike, currently set for Aug. 4-6, would involve more than 600 workers at Kowalski’s Market stores in Minneapolis and its western suburbs.

Kowalski's COO Mike Oase, in an email to WGB early Wednesday, said the grocer has met 13 times with union representatives since January and continues to bargain in good faith. The grocer, Oase said, had "high hopes" of resolving contract negotiations  on Tuesday. 

"We have continued to fight for what's just for our employees and have been completely transparent in our dealings with our employees and their union representatives," he said. "Despite accusations to the contrary, we have been and will continue to bargain in good faith with the union."

The union alleges that the upscale regional grocer “bullied” employees by interfering with union activity, intimidating workers and bargaining in bad faith.

“Our coworkers stood together against company intimidation and demonstrated our power as a union and voted to authorize a strike,” UFCW Local 663’s bargaining committee said in a statement. “Kowalski’s has engaged in unfair labor practices meant to stop us from exercising our rights despite tireless efforts to serve customers every day.”

Kowalski’s workers have been without a collective-bargaining agreement since March 5, UFCW said. Union members are seeking better wages and the ability to maintain “worker-driven healthcare.”

Oase said Kowalski's is "proud of our current proposal which includes historically high wage increases as well as a more comprehensive healthcare plan that is less expensive to the employees."

"We gave the union the opportunity to keep our employees in their current union health plan if they would make improvements to the plan," he added. "Instead, they are choosing to strike."

Minnesota’s UFCW Local 663 has been busy in recent months.

Earlier this month, the union secured a contract for Lunds & Byerlys workers in the Minneapolis area that will raise wages by an average of $3 to $4 an hour by next spring as well as upgraded healthcare benefits. The agreement averted a planned strike that had been scheduled over the busy Fourth of July weekend.

And in April, a late-night agreement between UFCW Local 663 and Cub Foods parent United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) resulted in a contract that gives workers raises of $2.50 to $3.50 per hour.

Kowalski’s was founded in 1986, after the owners purchased a Red Owl Country Store in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, and converted it. There are now 11 Kowalski’s Market locations in Minnesota.

UPDATE: This story has been updated with comments from Kowalski's.