North Carolina Kroger Workers Reject New Contract Offer

August 4, 2006

RALEIGH, N.C. - United Food and Commercial Workers Local 204 here voted this week to reject a recent contract offer and to authorize a strike against Kroger, saying the company’s latest offer would make health care “unaffordable” for its 1,000 members employed by the Cincinnati-based retailer.

In a press release, the union said Kroger’s proposal would cost workers $1.4 million in annual out-of-pocket health care costs and wipe out any benefit of wage increases. The union said it would continue to bargain with Kroger but could strike as early as mid-August. The current union contract with Kroger ended July 15, and workers have been without a contract since then, according to the UFCW