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GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — In a move that sets the stage for a potential strike, grocery store workers soundly rejected a five-year contract offer from their employers, largely because the proposal falls short of expectations, officials said Tuesday.
Employees of City Market voted down the proposal Monday. Votes were cast throughout the day at IBEW Hall on E Road.
Crisanta Duran, legal counsel for the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 7, said City Market grocery workers “overwhelmingly” rejected the offer. She added that Safeway workers also voted to authorize a strike.
The union represents between 15,000 and 20,000 workers across the state.
The decision by Safeway workers effectively amounts to a vote against the proposal. She declined to release the number of workers who voted Monday, or the percentage of votes cast in the daylong process.
“They (Safeway workers) voted to strike straight out,” said Duran, who added no formal date was set for the move.
Should a strike occur it would mark the first one since the 42-day strike and lockout in 1996 of workers at Safeway and King Soopers, the union said. Workers at Albertsons have not scheduled a contract vote.
Safeway spokeswoman Kris Staaf could not be reached for comment Tuesday, nor could City Market spokesman Trail Daugherty. Safeway workers in Montrose were expected to hold a vote meeting Tuesday.
The outcome in Grand Junction was in line with earlier votes in other parts of the state as workers in Colorado Springs, Denver and Pueblo also balked at the offer. Union workers in remaining areas of the state are scheduled to be done voting Oct. 6.
“At that time we will basically be coming up with the next steps about going back to the bargaining table,” Duran said.
She said grocery workers are turning down the offer largely because it fails on a number of levels, including pay and pension benefits.
“They are changing the game for retiring workers,” said Duran, who added there would be a greater reduction in retirement benefits if the proposal was accepted.
She also said future benefit accruals would be slashed. Other sticking points are equity in pay and wage increases.
“There are people in Grand Junction,” Duran said, “that don't make the same amount of money as people doing the same job in Pueblo or metro Denver.”
Reach Wyatt Haupt Jr. at whaupt@gjfreepress.com.
Employees of City Market voted down the proposal Monday. Votes were cast throughout the day at IBEW Hall on E Road.
Crisanta Duran, legal counsel for the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 7, said City Market grocery workers “overwhelmingly” rejected the offer. She added that Safeway workers also voted to authorize a strike.
The union represents between 15,000 and 20,000 workers across the state.
The decision by Safeway workers effectively amounts to a vote against the proposal. She declined to release the number of workers who voted Monday, or the percentage of votes cast in the daylong process.
“They (Safeway workers) voted to strike straight out,” said Duran, who added no formal date was set for the move.
Should a strike occur it would mark the first one since the 42-day strike and lockout in 1996 of workers at Safeway and King Soopers, the union said. Workers at Albertsons have not scheduled a contract vote.
Safeway spokeswoman Kris Staaf could not be reached for comment Tuesday, nor could City Market spokesman Trail Daugherty. Safeway workers in Montrose were expected to hold a vote meeting Tuesday.
The outcome in Grand Junction was in line with earlier votes in other parts of the state as workers in Colorado Springs, Denver and Pueblo also balked at the offer. Union workers in remaining areas of the state are scheduled to be done voting Oct. 6.
“At that time we will basically be coming up with the next steps about going back to the bargaining table,” Duran said.
She said grocery workers are turning down the offer largely because it fails on a number of levels, including pay and pension benefits.
“They are changing the game for retiring workers,” said Duran, who added there would be a greater reduction in retirement benefits if the proposal was accepted.
She also said future benefit accruals would be slashed. Other sticking points are equity in pay and wage increases.
“There are people in Grand Junction,” Duran said, “that don't make the same amount of money as people doing the same job in Pueblo or metro Denver.”
Reach Wyatt Haupt Jr. at whaupt@gjfreepress.com.
