Food 4 Less workers agree on provisional collective agreement and avoid strike

LOS ANGELES – The union representing thousands of Food 4 Less workers reached a tentative collective bargaining agreement with the food company on Tuesday, averting a possible strike.

The workers had previously authorized a work stoppage if collective bargaining failed. But on Tuesday, representatives of the United Food and Commercial Workers unions (Locals 8GS, 135, 324, 770, 1167, 1428 and 1442) announced a tentative agreement that includes “substantial wage increases for all workers, more guaranteed working hours and other contract improvements.”

No details of the proposed agreement were disclosed. The deal must be ratified by union members and details should be shared with them at private meetings this week.

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“We are proud to announce a tentative agreement with Food 4 Less/Foods Co. that we unanimously recommend to our employees,” the union’s bargaining committee said in a statement. “We are grateful for the solidarity and strength our employees have shown throughout negotiations, as well as the overwhelming support we have received from our customers and community members. We could not have reached this deal without them.”

Food 4 Less has 15 stores in the greater Los Angeles area and is a subsidiary of The Kroger Co., which also owns Ralphs. The union represents about 6,000 workers.

Kroger spokesman Salvador Ramirez said last week the company had “made a historic offer that includes over $70 million in payroll investments, industry-leading health care and retirement benefits.”

“Our employees are the heart of our business and we will continue to do everything we can to balance investments in wages and the overall well-being of our employees while keeping groceries affordable for our customers,” he said in a statement last week. “Our stores will remain open to serve our communities.”

Food 4 Less officials previously said the company made an offer that includes a pay raise to $25.80 an hour by 2026 for a full-time cashier with four years of full-time experience and an annual salary of more than $50,000. That proposal also would not increase employees’ health insurance costs over the three-year contract, according to the company.

The union’s demands included higher wages and safety improvements. Their contract expired on June 8. Union officials said Food 4 Less/Foods Co. workers should receive wages in line with those at other unionized grocery stores, including other Kroger stores.