Thousands of Food4Less workers who threatened to strike in early June have now reached a provisional agreement, reports CBS News.
The group, which had more than 6,000 members and represented 15 Food4Less stores in Los Angeles County, demanded higher wages and safety improvements, but details of the agreement were not released.
The collective agreement expired on June 8, and after workers voted overwhelmingly to strike, Kroger, owner of Food4Less, stepped in to restart negotiations that had been ongoing since April. Kroger worked with representatives from UFCW unions 8GS, 324, 770, 1167, 1428 and 1442.
A story in The guardUFCW grocery store clerks at Food4Less work fewer hours, receive fewer benefits, and earn $4.30 less per hour than Kroger-owned Ralph’s stores in the Los Angeles County area.
In addition, the union alleged that Kroger advertised temporary workers at Food4Less stores in late May as an anti-union tactic.
KNBC in Los Angeles reported that disgruntled employees were offered a deal that included raises of up to $25.80 an hour through 2026 for full-time cashiers with four years of full-time service. The deal also stipulated that employees’ health insurance costs would not increase for three years.
Kroger did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.
