Kroger Workers & Allies Demand End to Anti-Worker Messages
Monday, May 19, 2014
(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)Faith leaders, community allies and other
supporters
joined two busloads of Kroger shop stewards from UFCW locals 400 and 23 on May
13 as they headed to Kroger Marketplace store 519 in Henrico, VA to show
solidarity, talk with customers, and deliver a letter to management. The letter
demanded an end to the anti-worker and anti-union messages that store
management has been is circulating. The group of about 150 activists sporting
"Solidarity with Virginia Kroger Workers" t-shirts and buttons,
marched and chanted "we are Kroger strong, we are union strong” and “we
are the union, the mighty mighty union!” to the beat of Local 23's drum line
in
front of the store. Richmond/Tidewater Kroger shop stewards also held a seminar
to learn more about strengthening their union through new member sign up,
engaging members in the upcoming collective bargaining negotiations this
summer, and the importance of organizing new employees at the Kroger
Marketplace stores. “The power of the union is in you all, its members,”
said
Local 400 president Mark Federici. “The power only arrives when you all stick
together and show the number one food retailer in the country that you deserve
to share in their successes.”
- UFCW 400; photos by
Karlyn Williams; click here to see a video of the action.