Fair Starts with Bargaining

Wages, benefits and the structure of your first union contract matter. These are exactly the issues Kroger and Local 400 should work through together at the bargaining table.

Local 400 has described adding Stores 524, 542, 554, 577 and 580 to the existing Richmond-Tidewater contract as the “fair” solution. However, the union’s own July 10th proposal indicates even the union doesn’t believe the Richmond-Tidewater contract, as written, is the right fit here. That’s why they’re asking to change it.

We believe fairness actually starts with giving associates a voice in determining the agreement that will cover them.

We Agree on the Goal, Not the Short Cut
The union’s position of adding these stores to the existing Richmond-Tidewater contract short cuts the negotiation process. In bargaining neither side gets to declare its preferred outcome as “fair” and treat the discussion as finished.

Whether the Company and Union ultimately agree on one shared agreement, multiple agreements or another negotiated approach, we believe the goal is the same: giving you a voice and reaching the right agreement for you.

NO final decisions have been made on anything — wages included. A proposal is a starting point, not a done deal. Because we believe we are bargaining, we know every number and provision either side has put forward so far is exactly that: a proposal on the table, open to negotiation and change before anyone is asked to vote on it.

Your Voice Matters

• Associates chose representation to have a collective voice in determining their wages, benefits and working conditions.
• That means both sides have a responsibility to bargain toward reaching the right agreement for these stores.
• Richmond-Tidewater associates negotiated and voted on their agreement.
• Fair means these five stores get that same voice from bargaining to ratification.

The Bottom Line: Fair doesn’t mean inheriting someone else’s agreement. Fair starts with a seat at the bargaining table and ends with associates having a voice in the agreement that will cover them.

Next Steps

• The next bargaining session is scheduled for September 24.
• Updates will be posted to this website and shared in huddles.
• Please share any questions with your store management team.