At the bargaining table, you’re not just represented by union officials, you are also represented by your bargaining committee. This committee is made up of rank-and-file members (your coworkers) from a wide variety of departments. Each committee member is selected based on local bylaws and the size of each committee varies.
Your bargaining committee’s primary goal is to negotiate the best possible contract for all members.
Responsibilities include:
- Gaining insight into members’ priorities and concerns
- Researching and fact-finding
- Establishing primary bargaining goals
- Attending all negotiation meetings
- Update membership when appropriate
The bargaining committee is your voice at the bargaining table. They know first-hand the priorities and concerns of the membership because they have the same concerns!
Meet the members of your 2024 bargaining committee
Mr. Steve Adalco is a 33-year union member working in the Bakery Department at his home store, Kroger 331. Mr. Steve started as a sacker on the front end, but throughout his time at Kroger, he transitioned to backdoor receiving and moved to the deli/bakery department. Mr. Steve has been a shop steward for 6 years, and he’s currently been invited to take part in the bargaining committee. Mr. Steve decided to be more active with his union after a union strike in 1987.
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I’m here with other union members to take a stand and make a difference.
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Ms. Kristy Blake is a 9-year union member working as a Head Drug Department. She started in the fuel center after opening day at her previous store, Kroger 256, and became an immediate union member. She worked as a drug back-up for a year and was quickly promoted to her current drug department head position, allowing her to be connected with her co-workers. She’s grown to become a leader and be more active with her union since the previous 2020 union contract.
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I’m honored to serve as a union member, shop steward and bargaining committee member, and I’m honored to stand up for myself and my union to protect us against injustices.
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Ms. Christy Bradley is a 30-year union member working as the Lead Cake Decorator. Ms. Christy assists her co-workers as the store shop steward and e-board member, and she has recently been included in taking part in the bargaining committee. She started in the deli department and worked herself to becoming a lead cake decorator at her current store, Kroger 740. She’s happy to serve her customers and her community while also being a leader at her store.
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I’m honored to be chosen to sit on the negotiation committee board, and I’m a proud Local 455 member where we all stand together as one.
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Ms. Wynona Callaway is a 10-year union member working as a Lead Receiver at her home store, Kroger 361. Ms. Wynona is a proud mother of two daughters who also take part in their local union as members. Through her experience with the company, she started at the front end as a cashier and transitioned later to her current position, which is today. During that time, Ms. Wynona stepped up as a union steward, and she’s proudly held that title for over 10 strong years!
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We must stand together as one and not let fear take over. We are a family, and family takes care of family.
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Ms. Connie Coleman is a 17-year union member proudly working in the Drug Department. She has had her share in recent contract bargains with her Local Union and she is proud to continue to be part of something that makes a difference. Ms. Connie has been on the bargaining committee for 3 years and a shop steward for 15 years. She started and continues to be in the Drug Department to this day in her career.
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As long as we stick together, we will always win.
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Mr. Tony Cooper is a longtime 40-year union member working in the Produce Department. He’s a determined union member who has been serving his local for the duration of many Kroger contracts. He has currently participated in the bargaining committee for 4 years and will continues to do so until his retirement from the company. He’s well prepared, knowledgeable, and action-driven to take on any challenges that both the local and union members might have to overcome to succeed.
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I’m very grateful to be given this opportunity to make a difference for our people.
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Mr. Eddie Gabelman is a 29-year union member working as a Certified ADH Cutter at his home store, Kroger 14. Mr. Eddie has served multiple stores over his career, leading to over 15 years of accumulated time with the company as a shop steward. His attendance and participation with his local union strengthened his solidarity and leadership, which led him to his position today. Mr. Eddie is one of the few union members picked to carry out the voice for thousands of Kroger union workers as a bargaining committee member at the bargaining table.
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I’m very proud and excited to be included in the next steps of my union contract.
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Mr. Tony Garcia is a 21-year union member, having worked as a Market Manager for 4 years and as a Journeyman cutter for 16 years, all around the duration of his time working at 7 different Kroger locations. Mr. Tony takes part as he has been on the E-Board for 4 years now and was recently invited to join in as a bargaining committee member. Mr. Tony has been a meat shop steward representing the UFCW family since 2005, when he was nominated by his representative and made official by the Local Union.
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Only the strong survive.
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Mr. Joe Garland is a 40-year union member working as a Lead Receiver. Joe is very passionate about what he does to help others in his workplace succeed and act towards a better contract. Mr. Joe has participated in and acted in many union rallies and petition events and helped assist in strike votes during the 2020 union contract as well as assisting as a union SPUR. Mr. Joe has been on the bargaining committee for quite some time and a shop steward for 20 years.
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It’s an honor to serve the members of the GREAT UNION, Local 455.
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Mr. Sherman Giles is a 31-year union member working as a Market Manager. He started in the Kroger company as an apprentice and later transitioned to his career as a market manager, which it is today. His experience and involvement as a shop steward, E-board member, and bargaining committee member give him the tools to educate and inform his co-workers in his store about the importance of being united.
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I’m very honored to take part in something big that can bring change to my union.
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Ms. Barbara Long is a 36-year union member working as an RX Technician at her home store, Kroger 138. Ms. Barbara started as a deli/bakery clerk, and through her years, she got to work as a drug manager and florist for a small period of her long career until she found her way to her current position as a Pharmacy Technician for 23 years. Ms. Barbara is well respected among her peers. There’s no difficult time for her; she is someone to look up to because she’s always someone who makes sure her customers and co-workers are well taken care of.
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As a member of a team, I aspire to positively impact everyone.
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Ms. Fay Myers is a 22-year union member working as a Floral Lead at her home store, Kroger 378. Ms. Fay started as a sacker, and after 6 months working in the front end, she was transferred to the Floral Department. When she transferred to Kroger 374, she was promoted to floral lead. She became an immediate member upon her orientation, and now she uses her knowledge to educate her members as the shop steward for 6 years.
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I’m very excited to take that extra step to represent my union family.
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Ms. Linda Newman is a 15-year union member working as a Front-End Cashier. She works diligently, taking care of her co-workers and her store as a shop steward. Ms. Linda comes from a union family that gave her and many others the opportunity to have a better quality of life. She is very proud to be with other union members who are willing to make a difference for a better contract.
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United we stand, divided we fall.
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Ms. Rebekah Norman is a 22-year union member working as a Deli Department Head at her home store, Kroger 743. Ms. Rebekah has always been a leader to all her people at her store. Before she became a shop steward, she was helping her co-workers with information and inquiries and attending union events during the 2020 contract negotiations that led her down her path as a shop steward. Among them all, she stood up and became someone that people could rely on. She was recently invited and appointed to be part of the bargaining committee. Ms. Rebekah is very excited to be part of something bigger and to take that extra step to make her voice heard and that of others as well.
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It is a privilege for me to defend my union against unfairness from the company.
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Mr. Michael Parker is a 38-year union member working as a Front-End Cashier at his home store, Kroger 190. Mr. Michael comes from a union family. During the time his father worked as a truck driver, he started as a sacker at his Kroger store 173 and changed positions throughout his 30 years of work at that location. After a couple store changes, he landed at Kroger 190, where he was promoted to cashier by his union representative at the time, Bill Hopkins. Mr. Michael has been serving his union as a shop steward for eight accumulated years, and he is not taking that extra step as a bargaining committee member.
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I’m part of a team, and I want to make a difference for everyone.
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Mr. Joe Recio is a 44-year union member working as a Receiver and Grocery at his home store, Kroger 366. Mr. Joe started as a receiver at his other Kroger location 173 and worked there for 10 years until he was permanently transferred to his home store 366; there he worked in many positions across the store, such as a grocery clerk, meat department, frozen, and dairy. Joe has been a dedicated shop steward for two years and will continue to offer his services to his union family.
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If we stick together, everything will work out.
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Mr. Tyrone Rudder is a 16-year union member working as the Lead Bookkeeper at his home store, Kroger 396. As a shop steward, Mr. Tyrone is very familiar with being a part of a union. Before Kroger, he worked at Andy Frain, where he was introduced to a union and how a contract worked. During his time at Kroger, he started in the drug department, moved over to the backup position, got familiar with receiving, and later, bookkeeping. It’s been a short time since Ms. Tyrone was appointed a shop steward and is now appointed to be part of something greater, being on the bargaining committee.
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I’m honored to be part of the committee to speak on behalf of my co-workers’ concerns with the company.
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Ms. Tonja Schaeffer is a 14-year union member working as a Front-End Cashier at her home store, Kroger 748. Ms. Tonja started as a non-union member; during her time at the company, she had a confrontation with her store manager, resulting in her suspension. Her local union helped get her job back, and Ms. Tonja signed up as a union member. During the 2020 union contract, Ms. Tonja got more involved with her local union; she participated in videos, petitions, strike votes, and rallies, and shortly after, she was recommended to come out as a SPUR and later invited to become a bargaining committee member as a Kroger union member to work hand in hand with her Local Union.
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Why sit on the fence and not let your voice be heard? We are the union, and we need to stand together and fight for our rights.
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Mr. Jimmy Williams is a 39-year union member working in the Produce Department at his home store, Kroger 302. Mr. Jimmy comes from a union family, and just like his grandfather, he became someone who could represent his members at his store as a dedicated, strong shop steward. Mr. Jimmy started as a bagger and continued to take on many other roles and positions in his career with the Kroger Company.
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Together as one, we can make a big difference.
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