King Soopers Strike Ends With Temporary Agreement

The King Soopers strike is officially over as of today, February 18.

Workers began striking on February 6 over allegations of unfair labor practices by King Soopers during negotiations for a new union contract. With days left in the planned strike, the two sides forged an agreement to reopen those negotiations and send union members back to work.

According to the grocery workers' union, UFCW Local 7, the agreement includes a guarantee that no workers will lose their health insurance due to striking and that the company's "last, best and final" offer — which King Soopers had insisted included all the money the company could bring to the table — is still negotiable.

The two sides will now work for 100 days to reach a new agreement, with King Soopers also agreeing not to lock workers out during that time if negotiations sour.

"This strike was about thousands of everyday grocery store workers, collectively standing together and facing one of the largest corporations in America and saying 'enough,'" UFCW Local 7 president Kim Cordova says in an announcement about the end of the strike.

King Soopers says all stores and pharmacies will return to business as usual by Wednesday, February 19.

"Our focus remains on reaching a fair agreement that honors their hard work while ensuring we continue to provide fresh, affordable groceries for the families who rely on us," King Soopers president Joe Kelley said of the workers in an announcement. "We appreciate their dedication and look forward to productive discussions in the weeks ahead."

According to the union, the strike occurred because discussions hadn't been productive since January when King Soopers made the "last, best and final" offer and the previous union contract, which had been in place since a 2022 strike, expired.

Workers want their new contract to address staffing and safety issues, improve health-care benefits and increase wages to match Colorado's cost of living. They alleged King Soopers took illegal retaliation actions against workers in the course of negotiations, which the company denies.

King Soopers workers at 77 stores across Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson counties voted for a strike with over 96 percent approval. Workers in Pueblo later voted to join the strike, as well.

The strike had a two-week timeframe so workers could get the word out and the company would have time to respond. Shortly after it began, King Soopers filed a lawsuit against the union and a temporary restraining order against the striking workers.

On February 7, UFCW Local 7 announced it had learned that King Soopers filed a lawsuit claiming the union had acted illegally by making King Soopers bargain with workers from unions in California and Washington in the Colorado contract process.

According to the union, the lawsuit is “baseless” and “frivolous,” and leaders expect the court to dismiss the claims.

Then, on February 11, King Soopers took to the courts again to request a temporary restraining order against picketing workers for alleged “unsafe conditions,” according to a press announcement from the company. A judge ruled on February 14 that workers would have to limit numbers in front of stores on picket lines as part of the restraining order.

According to the union, both the restraining order and the lawsuit were attempts to intimidate workers. Nonetheless, the two sides began working on an agreement to end the strike and return to bargaining on February 15, according to a King Soopers announcement.

Two days later, they agreed, late on the night of February 17. Now, Colorado shoppers who were boycotting their favorite King Soopers stores can return as the workers come back and negotiate.