Sponsored By

Food 4 Less workers in California applaud new labor contract

Kroger Atlanta division ratifies new agreements with UFCW

Russell Redman

July 12, 2021

5 Min Read
food-4-less-store.jpg
Compton, Calif.-based Food 4 Less/Foods Co. employs more than 12,000 associates at 129 price-impact, warehouse-format supermarkets under the banners Food 4 Less in Southern California, Illinois and Indiana and Foods Co. in Central and Northern California.Tim Boyle / Staff / Getty Images News

United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Local 770 called its new contract with The Kroger Co.’s Food 4 Less/Foods Co. supermarkets “the best deal ever won at Food 4 Less.”

UFCW Local 770 said late Friday that a bargaining committee from UFCW unions across California — including UFCW 770 members working for Food 4 Less/Foods Co. in Southern and Central California — ratified a three-year contract with The Kroger Co. after six months of negotiations. 

The bargaining unit covers about 7,000 employees at 98 stores in nine California counties, with grocery workers represented by UFCW Locals 135, 324, 770, 1167, 1428, 1442 and 8-GS. UFCW 770 represents about 2,500 members in 37 stores in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

Overall, Compton, Calif.-based Food 4 Less/Foods Co. employs more than 12,000 associates at 129 price-impact, warehouse-format supermarkets under the banners Food 4 Less in Southern California, Illinois and Indiana and Foods Co. in Central and Northern California.

“This contract fight has been historic, and it is a workers’ victory. Food 4 Less members were actively engaged in the bargaining process,” UFCW 770 Secretary Treasurer Kathy Finn said in a statement. “Despite all the challenges faced throughout the pandemic, UFCW 770 members were able to speak up about the changes that they needed to make. This contract is an important step towards our goal of reaching the kind of member participation and worker power necessary to achieve truly transformative contracts.”

Related:UFCW Local 75 ratifies new contract with Kroger Cincinnati-Dayton division

The new labor pact for Food 4 Less/Foods Co. frontline workers includes hourly wage hikes of up to $1.65 over three years and an agreement to match any larger increases achieved by workers at Kroger’s Ralphs division in their upcoming contract renewals in 2022 and 2023, UFCW 770 reported. Compton-based Ralphs operates about 190 supermarkets in Southern California and the state’s Central Coast region.

Kroger also agreed to pay all contributions to maintain health and pension benefits, without any reductions, according to UFCW 770. In addition, the deal will provide bonuses of $150 to $500 to most Food 4 Less/Foods Co. workers, as well as more guaranteed hours for part-time staff (at least 24 hours weekly for workers with five years of service and 28 hours for those with 15 years of service), extra vacation time for senior employees (four weeks), access to the UFCW Trust Fund scholarship already available to Ralphs workers, and the creation of health and safety committees at all Food 4 Less/Foods Co. stores. 

Related:Kroger, UFCW reinforce pension benefits for Fred Meyer, QFC workers

“This is a good contract for Food 4 Less workers. We pushed to raise the bar and won better pay and hours, and we will continue to fight for what we deserve, and for Kroger to recognize us as equal to Ralphs workers,” commented Elena Gonzalez, a cashier at the Food 4 Less store in Bell Gardens, Calif. “We also refused to allow the company to negatively affect our pension and health care benefits. As a COVID survivor, these benefits are very important to me and my family.”

The previous Food 4 Less/Foods Co. contract expired in June 2020 but was extended until March 2021 because of the pandemic, with talks for the new agreement starting on Jan. 6, UFCW 770 said. The new pact is set to expire on June 8, 2024.

Overall, UFCW 770 has more than 20,000 grocery worker members in California’s Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.

“We’ve gone through a lot during this pandemic. This contract is pretty good and is a step in the right direction in our struggle to improve wages and benefits,” stated 30-year Food 4 Less employee Blanca Padilla. “Me and my coworkers will continue fighting to raise the standards at Food 4 Less. I’m also committed to joining my fellow grocery workers in the upcoming master food contract campaign with Kroger.”

Kroger Atlanta division, UFCW OK new labor pacts

On Monday, Kroger reported that its Atlanta division and UFCW Local 1996 in Atlanta and Savannah, Ga., have ratified new labor deals.

The agreements, approved by the union on July 7 and 8, include an investment of more than $300 million­­­­ in wage increases over four years for Kroger store associates in Atlanta and Savannah, according to Cincinnati-based Kroger.

“We are pleased that we could reach an agreement with our Atlanta and Savannah associates and support them as well as our company. These new agreements provide significant pay increases, affordable and comprehensive health care, and continued investment in our associates' pension fund,” Kroger Atlanta Division President Tim Brown said in a statement. “These agreements come after thoughtful and productive work by both the company and the union bargaining committees. I want to thank our associates for voting to ratify these two agreements and for the excellent service they provide for our customers every day.”

Kroger store exterior-banner sign.png

The UFCW agreements with Kroger's Atlanta division include grocery workers at 170 stores in greater Atlanta and Savannah.

Suwanee, Ga.-based UFCW 1996 said in a website posting that the new contract “resulted in the largest overall wage package that we have ever achieved in bargaining” and secured members’ health care and pension benefits. The agreements go into effect on July 18 and cover over 22,000 associates at 170 Kroger stores in greater Atlanta and Savannah.

“After months of diligent work by UFCW Local 1996’s bargaining committee, our union members voted overwhelmingly to approve these contracts in Atlanta and Savannah,” commented Steve Lomax, president of UFCW Local 1996 and vice president on the executive board of UFCW International. “We are excited to show the influence that essential workers can have in their workplaces to provide for higher wages, including comprehensive health care benefits and a pension. When workers and their union can come to the table together with a company to find solutions, everyone benefits.”

Recently, UFCW also ratified a new labor contract with Kroger’s Cincinnati-Dayton division — covering associates working at 104 stores in greater Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio; northern Kentucky; and southeastern Indiana — and an agreement with Kroger’s Fred Meyer and QFC divisions in the Pacific Northwest to shift about $400 million in pension liabilities from an underfunded pension plan to the UFCW Consolidated Pension Plan.

“The Kroger organization has invested more than $800 million in wage increases nationally in the last three years and is committed to continuing to invest significantly in associates’ pay in 2021,” according to Tim Massa, senior vice president and chief people officer at Kroger.

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

Stay up-to-date on the latest food retail news and trends
Subscribe to free eNewsletters from Supermarket News

You May Also Like