Union members kicked off a two-week strike of King Soopers stores across metro Denver early Thursday morning to protest what they say were unfair labor practices during contract negotiations.
About 10,000 employees of the supermarket chain were expected to walk picket lines at 77 stores in Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson counties, as well as in Boulder and Louisville.
The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 has said staffing levels are a major issue for employees as well as a proposal to pull $8 million in retiree health benefit funds to pay for wage increases.
The union also claims that King Soopers has illegally interrogated union members about bargaining and surveilled members in discussions with union staff. Union officials said company negotiators haven’t provided information they need to make or consider contract proposals.
King Soopers President Joe Kelley said in a recent interview that the company gave union negotiators a comprehensive offer in early December and the union hasn’t reciprocated. He called on the union to allow members to vote on what he said was King Soopers’ final offer.
Bargaining ended when King Soopers contracts with the union expired Jan. 17. Union members in metro Denver, Boulder, Louisville, Colorado Springs and Pueblo voted last week to authorize a strike.
No strike has been announced yet for Colorado Springs and Pueblo employees. Kim Cordova, UFCW Local 7 president, said earlier this week that strike votes will likely be scheduled for King Soopers workers in Longmont, Fort Collins and Loveland when their contracts expire Feb. 15.
Votes could also be scheduled for union members at City Market stores. Cincinnati-based Kroger owns King Soopers and City Market.
“King Soopers is committed to keeping all stores open during the work stoppage, with impacted locations running on temporary hours,” the company said in a statement Wednesday.
The affected stores will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. King Soopers pharmacies at those locations will operate Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closing daily for lunch 1-1:30 p.m. The pharmacies will be closed Sundays.
King Soopers has hired about 1,500 temporary workers to fill in during the strike. The company said stores in the following areas won’t be affected by the strike and will maintain regular store and pharmacy hours: Bennett, Brighton, Castle Rock, Colorado Springs, Conifer, Erie, Firestone, Fort Collins, Greeley, Longmont, Loveland, Pueblo, Windsor and Cheyenne, Wyo.
The last strike against Denver-area King Soopers stores was in January 2022. That walkout lasted 10 days.
The union is in contract talks with Albertsons, which owns Safeway.
Stores affected by strike
Arvada
• 12350 W. 64th Ave., Arvada 80004
• 14969 Candelas Parkway, Arvada 80007
• 15200 W. 64th Ave., Arvada 80007
• 6350 Sheridan Blvd., Arvada 80003
• 8031 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada 80005
• 8055 Sheridan Blvd., Arvada 80003
• 9731 W. 58th Ave., Arvada 80002
Aurora
• 1155 S. Havana St., Aurora 80012
• 15109 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora 80011
• 15250 E. Mississippi Ave., Aurora 80012
• 17000 E. Iliff Ave., Aurora 80013
• 18221 E. Hampden Ave., Aurora 80013
• 19711 E. Smoky Hill Road, Aurora 80015
• 3050 S. Peoria St., Aurora 80014
• 4271 S. Buckley Road, Aurora 80013
• 6412 S. Parker Road, Aurora 80016
• 655 Peoria St., Aurora 80010
Boulder
• 1650 30th St., Boulder 80302
• 3600 Table Mesa Drive, Boulder 80303
• 6550 Lookout Road, Boulder 80301
Broomfield
• 1150 U.S. 287, Broomfield 80020
• 12167 Sheridan Blvd., Broomfield 80020
• 2355 W. 136th Ave., Broomfield 80023
Centennial
• 5050 E. Arapahoe Road, Centennial 80122
• 7575 S. University Blvd., Centennial 80122
• 8200 S. Holly St., Centennial 80122
Commerce City
• 15051 E. 104th Ave., Commerce City 80022
• 4850 E. 62Nd Ave., Commerce City 80022
Denver
• 10406 Martin Luther King Blvd., Denver 80238
• 1155 E. 9th Ave., Denver 80218
• 1331 N. Speer Blvd., Denver 80204
• 1355 Krameria St., Denver 80220
• 18605 Green Valley Ranch Blvd., Denver 80249
• 1950 Chestnut Place, Denver 80202
• 2727 W. Evans Ave., Denver 80219
• 2750 S. Colorado Blvd., Denver 80222
• 2810 Quebec St., Denver 80207
• 3100 S. Sheridan Blvd., Denver 80227
• 5125 W. Florida Ave., Denver 80219
• 6470 E. Hampden Ave., Denver 80222
• 825 S. Colorado Blvd., Denver 80222
• 890 S. Monaco Parkway, Denver 80224
Edgewater
• 1725 Sheridan Blvd., Edgewater 80214
Englewood
• 101 Englewood Parkway, Englewood 80110
• 3495 S. University Blvd., Englewood 80113
• 5050 S. Federal Blvd., Englewood 80110
Evergreen
• 1173 Bergen Parkway, Evergreen 80439
Federal Heights
• 1575 W. 84th Ave., Federal Heights 80221
Glendale
• 4600 Leetsdale Drive, Glendale 80246
Golden
• 17171 S. Golden Road, Golden 80401
Greenwood Village
• 4910 S. Yosemite St., Greenwood Village 80111
• 6000 S. Holly St., Greenwood Village 80111
Highlands Ranch
• 2205 W. Wildcat Reserve Parkway, Highlands Ranch 80129
• 4000 Red Cedar Drive, Highlands Ranch 80126
• 8673 S. Quebec St., Highlands Ranch 80126
• 9551 S. University Blvd., Highlands Ranch 80126
Lakewood
• 12043 W. Alameda Parkway, Lakewood 80228
• 1545 S. Kipling Parkway, Lakewood 80232
• 1555 Quail St., Lakewood 80215
• 1927 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Lakewood 80221
• 7984 W. Alameda Ave., Lakewood 80226
Littleton
• 100 Littleton Blvd., Littleton 80120
• 11747 W. Ken Caryl Ave., Littleton 80127
• 6760 S. Pierce St., Littleton 80128
• 7901 S. Broadway, Littleton 80122
• 8126 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Littleton 80128
• 9800 W. Belleview Ave., Littleton 80123
Louisville
• 1375 S. Boulder Road, Louisville 80027
Parker
• 12959 S. Parker Road, Parker 80134
• 17031 Lincoln Ave., Parker 80134
• 17761 Cottonwood Drive, Parker 80134
Thornton
• 3801 E. 120th Ave., Thornton 80241
• 750 E. 104th Ave., Thornton 80229
Westminster
• 10351 N. Federal Blvd., Westminster 80260
• 9983 N. Wadsworth Parkway, Westminster 80030
Wheat Ridge
• 3400 Youngfield St., Wheat Ridge 80033
• 3817 Sheridan Blvd., Wheat Ridge 80033