Members of UFCW Local 1776KS who work at 11 Kroger stores in Ohio and West Virginia ratified a new contract on Oct. 30. About 1,200 Kroger workers are covered by this contract, which includes wage increases and preserves health insurance and pensions.
The three-year agreement includes improved starting wages, wage increases, updated non-discrimination language, and improvements in premiums and bereavement. Members of 1776KS successfully beat back Kroger’s original concessionary demands on health care.
“Negotiations were challenging,” said UFCW Local 1776KS President Wendell W. Young, IV. “However, at the end of the day, Kroger members received the best wage increase they have seen in years. It’s not a perfect contract, but it is a step in the right direction and I thank the bargaining committee for their hard work and steadfast perseverance.”