RICHLAND, WA – Workers at Fred Meyer Richland have filed for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in hopes to negotiate for better wages, benefits, and working conditions.
In the coming weeks, the NLRB will set a date where the approximately 250 workers can vote to be represented by United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1439. The election would be the first time in recent memory that Eastern Washington grocery workers have joined the union through an election.
After working through the COVID-19 pandemic and the newest Delta surge, grocery workers say Kroger (Fred Meyer’s corporate owner) needs to do more to create quality jobs and address working conditions. “The company blames the labor shortage, but they never talk about what they could do to make these jobs better. It’s challenging to take pride in my work under these conditions. My daughter started staying home alone when she was still in elementary school because I couldn’t afford childcare on Kroger wages,” says Melissa Lozano, apparel department employee.
Inconsistent scheduling and low wages also contribute to high turnover. “My coworkers keep leaving because they can’t plan their lives without consistent hours. The turnover leaves me scrambling to finish their work. It’s also hard to get a second job because I never know when I will be called in to work,” says Eden Hill from the ClickList department.
Kroger’s low wages also take a toll on the taxpayer when workers are forced to rely on public assistance. “Even working in a grocery store, I have to use food stamps to afford food for my daughter and me,” says Mandee Boyle, a front-end cashier. “We are also on state-subsidized health insurance because I can’t afford the high deductible for Kroger’s medical plan. I want a Union because me and my coworkers deserve a voice in the decisions that affect us at work.”
Thousands of grocery workers in the Pacific Northwest are already represented by UFCW and have a mechanism to negotiate for better wages, benefits, and working conditions. “We hope Kroger will let their associates make their own choice about representation,” says Jeff Hofstader, Secretary-Treasurer of UFCW 1439.
