By Bernadette Berdychowski | The Denver Gazette
The clock is ticking as contracts across the state expire between the union representing grocery workers in Colorado and Kroger, the parent company of King Soopers and City Market.
It’s the first time the union has returned to settle a contract with Kroger since 2022, when negotiations sparked a strike and allegations the grocer colluded with Safeway with illegal non-poach agreements, which are still being settled through lawsuits filed by the state and the grocer’s union United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7.
It also comes a month after the proposed merger between Albertsons and Kroger collapsed, which the UFCW Local 7 officials cheered.