CHARLESTON, W.Va. — There’s another election that begins Tuesday.
Members of United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 400 will begin voting on the latest contract offer from Kroger. Union officials are urging their members to vote against the contract.
On its website, the UFCW said Kroger continues to “insist on disastrous cuts to health care benefits.
“Our union and the bargaining advisory committee strongly recommend you vote NO to reject this offer and vote YES to approve a strike.”
The voting will take place Tuesday at Kroger stores in Madison, Parkersburg and Proctorville, Ohio. Wednesday’s voting is set for stores in Rainelle, Clarksburg and Scott Depot while on Thursday union members can vote at stores in Charleston, Beckley and Buckhannon.
Votes will be counted Friday.
Kroger Mid-Atlantic has called the proposed contract its “last, best offer,” a $20 million investment.
“We are making a significant investment in our associates,” Paula Ginnett, president of Kroger in the Mid-Atlantic Division said in a statement released 10 days ago. “The offer we have presented adds more to our associate’s paychecks, while providing them with premium health care coverage at affordable rates.”
Kroger said its offer does the following: increases pay for every bargaining unit associate in West Virginia, increases company contributions to maintain exceptional medical and dental benefits and improve vision benefits and keeps associate weekly contributions for health care benefits the same through 2021, with only modest increases after that.