Lunds & Byerlys workers in Minneapolis set strike dates

About 2,500 workers at Lunds & Byerlys stores in Minneapolis on Monday approved an unfair labor practice strike to be held Thursday through Saturday—intentionally targeting the busy grocery weekend before the July 4th holiday.

On those days, workers plan to picket outside 22 supermarkets in the Minneapolis area, members of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 663 said at a press conference, calling the action a “last resort.” Workers have been without a contract since early March.

“We refuse to be bullied by our employer,” Rosemary Luoma, a longtime Lunds & Byerlys employee, said.

Negotiations between the union and the grocer continued Monday, and Lunds & Byerlys, in a statement to WGB, said it remains “hopeful progress can be made toward a mutually beneficial agreement.”

“If a strike were to occur, we will implement our contingency plans so we can continue to provide exceptional service to customers at all of our stores,” the grocer said.

Workers said they are calling on Lunds & Byerlys to provide industry-leading wages, given that the grocer is widely known in Minnesota for its high level of customer service.

Members of UFCW Local 663 also said they are seeking pay equity and improved healthcare benefits.

Lunds & Byerlys said its current proposal does include wages that “continue to be among the best in our industry” as well as an improved healthcare plan that includes quicker access to coverage, tiered coverage options and greater wage replacement under short-term disability. The plan also includes new benefit options such as flexible spending accounts, supplemental life insurance and long-term disability coverage.

“We continue to believe our team members who are members of 663 deserve better healthcare,” the grocer said.

Lunds & Byerlys workers have never gone on strike; this is the first time union members have voted to authorize a strike and have set a strike date, members said.

In April, a late-night agreement averted a strike at Minnesota grocer Cub Foods, which is owned by United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI).

UFCW 663 also represents workers at Cub. Lunds & Byerlys workers on Monday said their employer can afford to raise pay even more than UNFI. Under the agreement with Cub Foods workers, employees will receive raises of $2.50 to $3.50 per hour.

The first Byerlys store opened in Golden Valley, Minnesota, in 1968, nearly 30 years after Russell T. Lund opened his first Hoves grocery store. Lunds acquired Byerlys in 1997 and created Lund Food Holdings. In 2015, all former Lunds and Byerly’s stores became “Lunds & Byerlys.”

The grocer now operates 28 stores in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. The strike vote only impacts Minneapolis-area stores.