June 18, 2008

UFCW Local 23 settles contract with Kroger                                  

The contract affecting nearly 950 Local 23 Kroger members was narrowly ratified on Wednesday May 27th by a 286 to 278 margin. Local 23 representatives held proposal meetings earlier in the year giving the membership the opportunity to propose modifications to the then current agreement. Subsequently, the Union along with a bargaining committee of  rank and file members met with the company on 9 separate occasions between April 9th and May 1st for negotiations. Upon reaching a tentative agreement, ratification meetings were held on May 4th in Steubenville, Ohio in the morning an in Bridgeport, Ohio in the evening. The decision of the membership at that time was to narrowly reject the company offer. After listening to the concerns of the group, the company was notified and a final bargaining session was scheduled on May 16th resulting in a second tentative agreement. 

Another round of ratification meetings were held on May 28 at the Holiday Inn in Weirton W.V. and the Marriott Springhill Suites in Wheeling W.V. between 7 am and 6 pm allowing for the maximum opportunity for the membership to vote and ask any questions regarding the contract offer that they had previously received by mail.

The new agreement features improvements in wages with the top rates being increased over the life of the contract $1.00 per hour. Health benefit upgrades were also  achieved in reducing doctor visit co-pays, family deductibles were lowered and a new prescription benefit was put in place for employees hired after 11-23 04 who were not previously covered.

The night crew premium was increased to 50 cents per hour. A new meat cutter  apprentice program was put in place accelerating the program from 2 years to 1 year cutting the time in half for the member to reach the meat cutter rate. The company agreed to continue the Kroger buy-out option and a one time ratification personal holiday was added to be taken sometime during the life of the contract. Contribution increases to both the Legal and Pension funds were made which was necessary to maintain and protect these important benefits. Additionally, a major improvement was made in the Profit Sharing Plan when the profit percentage threshold was reduced to 6% which increases the likelihood of the workers sharing in the company’s profits that they were instrumental in producing.
                                                                                           

The new agreement that expires June 11th 2011 covers 12 stores in the Ohio valley between Steubenville, Ohio and Moundsville, W.V.