Important Message for All Kroger Members of Our Union Family

Dear UFCW Local 455 Kroger Member,

One of the benefits of union representation is that you never have to struggle alone. Whatever hardships you face, you not only have the backing of your Local Union, but the entire 1.3-million-member UFCW union family.

We hope you have been able to see this firsthand these past few weeks as your UFCW staff from Locals across the country have been making regular visits to stores to discuss your concerns. We all have the shared goal of making sure you have a contract that reflects all the hard work you do for your customers and your Kroger stores.

With strike votes scheduled to start today, we wanted to make you aware of a few updates.

As you know, a strike is always the last resort and we still hope to bargain with Kroger for the contract you have earned and deserve. We want you to know that if the time comes where you need to defend your contract, your union will have your back, which is why we are also talking with our members about increasing strike benefits.

Finally, last December, Kroger illegally attempted to undermine your democratic rights to be part of a union and stopped collecting union membership fees. Despite Kroger’s actions, we never stopped servicing you or your stores because we believe that joining a union is your choice and right.

In response, the National Labor Relations Board – a federal board designed to ensure corporations, like Kroger, do not undermine your rights – has issued complaints against Kroger and is seeking a remedy for Kroger to pay the Local back these membership fees with interest. The board is also seeking a ruling that would require Kroger to resume deducting membership fees from your paycheck just as it has always done.

Whenever Kroger does pay these fees, we want you to know that we will be donating that money back to all active Local UFCW Kroger members who were in the union as of December 2020. While we know this does not in any way make up for the frustrations and financial hardships that you and other members have suffered since Kroger eliminated hazard pay and forced low wage tiers and more expensive health care onto you and your co-workers, we do hope that this demonstrates how much we value you and your contributions to our union family. As soon as we know more, we will update you immediately.

Again, please remember to vote. Your vote will help make a difference in your life and the lives of all hard-working Kroger members.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your Local 455 union representative, email us at info@ufcw455.org, or call us at (281) 448-5555.

Thank you. By standing together, we will build a better life for you and your family.

Sincerely,

Brandon Hopkins

UFCW Local 455 President