Bargaining Is How You Get a Contract That’s Actually Yours

You may have heard union claims that Kroger is delaying negotiations and proposing to freeze your pay. We know these claims raise real questions. You deserve clear information, so here are the facts.

Fact #1: Accretion Is Not the Same as a First Contract
Local 400 has asked Kroger to add stores 542, 554, 524, 580, and 577 to the existing Richmond-Tidewater contract, rather than putting forward proposals for a new agreement built around these stores. That’s called accretion — and it means skipping the process that gives associates like you a voice in the outcome.

A first contract, negotiated at the table, is different. It means you get what associates in the Richmond-Tidewater contract already had: a union working to negotiate the right contract for them. Negotiating requires the company and union to:

• Do the work of customizing proposals to address your specific needs
• Research and analyze proposals to ensure they work for you
• Write counterproposals in an effort to find common ground

It also means you get the final say by participating in a contract ratification vote held by your union. That’s how you get a contract that’s actually yours.

Fact #2: The Wage Gap Is Not Union Busting
Local 400 points to the wage gap between Richmond-Tidewater and these five stores as proof of union busting. Kroger is not union busting. Here’s what you need to know:

• During the 2024 Richmond-Tidewater negotiation, the associate-led bargaining committee prioritized lowering healthcare costs over bargaining for significant wage increases.
• That was their call and it reflected what mattered most to Richmond-Tidewater associates in 2024.
• That’s not union busting. That’s what real bargaining looks like.
  Bargaining gives you, through your associate-led committee, the ability to decide what matters most to you and negotiate for it.

Fact #3: Bargaining is Not Delaying
Kroger and Local 400 are scheduled to meet on September 24, followed by additional sessions October 5–7. That’s four bargaining days already on the calendar in the next three weeks. Continuing to negotiate toward a first contract isn’t a delay. It’s the process working the way it’s supposed to.

Fact #4: This Is Not a Wage Freeze
The company’s goal is to truly negotiate a first contract, which includes developing a wage scale based on where these stores are now and bargaining wage increases from there. No final decisions have been made on anything, including wages. A proposal is a starting point, not a done deal — and that goes for every number on the table right now, from either side, until you’re asked to vote on it.

The Bottom Line: Accretion is the union’s definition of fair. Bargaining– proposals, counterproposals, and a real vote at the end– is Kroger’s. One of those gives you an actual say in your first contract. The other doesn’t.