Honestly, we might as well just call 2025 the year of the grocery store strike.
Even leaving aside all the strikes that have happened thus far…
A number of UFCW locals representing over 45,000 workers have voted to authorize strikes targeting Kroger and Albertsons, which means they could start basically any day now.
And let’s face it…
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The fact that the unions haven’t yet announced specific plans on when they expect to begin the strike might be taken by some as a sign that things haven’t gotten to that point yet.
(And yes, negotiations are still ongoing.)
But I also wouldn’t really expect the unions to tip their hand here, right?
Like – the point of a strike is to cause the most disruption possible. You don’t want to give Kroger and Albertsons time to prepare, right?
And given the history…well, let’s just say I’m confident things are about to get real.
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Strikes against Kroger / Albertsons have been authorized by the following unions:
– United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 700 (Indiana)
– UFCW Local 7 (Colorado)
– UFCW Locals 135, 324, 770, and 1167 (California)
– UFCW Local 3000 (Washington State)
– Teamsters Local 528 (Georgia)
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My guess is that UFCW Local 7 in Colorado will be the spark that touches off the whole thing.
First off, they’ve already pushed through a successful strike vs Kroger / Albertsons this year (in February)…
And secondly, they’ve gone a step further than just authorizing a strike.
More specifically, they’ve filed a document which is required in Colorado giving 72 hours of notice for a potential strike.
The timer on that just ran out.
So they literally could start this up at any moment.
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While the impacts of grocery store workers walking off the job in Indiana, Colorado, California, and Washington would obviously be substantial and felt throughout those states (likely causing extensive store closures)…
I think one of the biggest threats facing Kroger here is actually the tiny Teamsters local in Georgia.
They’re truck drivers based at a distribution plant in Forest Park, Georgia.
If they walk off the job, how will food be transported to stores throughout the rest of the Kroger / Albertsons network?
And keep in mind…
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A lot of food can stay on the shelf for a while, awaiting transport or inside a closed store.
Your shelf-stable items should be fine – think chips, cereals, a lot of bread, packaged cookies, candy, etc.
And of course frozen things can last for a while assuming freezers are working.
Fresh fruits and vegetables? Not so much.
So there are lasting impacts that could be felt almost immediately.
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Part of the reason I personally think the strikes are a matter of “when, not if” is, very simply, that there’s already been a strike facilitated by one of these locals against Kroger – just this year!
As I mentioned earlier, UFCW Local 7 already led a two-week strike in Colorado back in February, targeting Kroger and Albertsons.
They negotiated a temporary contract (which has expired), so I’m seeing lots of reasons to think that a new strike is imminent – not least of which is the fact that all these unions have authorized it!
Plus, let’s face it…
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These potential strikes come at a difficult moment for Kroger / Albertsons as it faces a variety of challenges. To name a few:
– Big incoming food disruptions due to changes at the FDA;
– Rising food prices thanks to inflation;
– Still more rising food prices and supply chain disruptions thanks to tariffs;
– Increased competition from new entrants like Amazon Fresh, as well as low-priced big box and warehouse competitors like Wal-Mart, Costco, and Target;
And of course, workers want more money and better benefits, too.
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Things have been building to a boil between Kroger / Albertsons and these unions for a long time.
UFCW locals have accused Kroger of:
– Closing down four unionized stores and replacing them with non-union stores;
– Engaging in anti-union activity in a number of locations over the years;
– Slow-walking labor negotiations to force the unions to accept weaker contracts;
And plenty more.
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Obviously a lot of this is hard to specifically prove in a court of law, so I’m not going to comment on how accurate those accusations are.
But I think it’s fair to say that when you’ve got workers not trusting their employer…
And a history of recent strikes…
And “authorization to strike” motions passing with large margins…
Well, it paints a certain picture, doesn’t it.
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If and when the unions move forward with a strike, things will likely happen pretty quickly from there.
More specifically, their members will walk off, likely closing hundreds of stores more or less instantly.
They won’t be paid for the time off, of course (some unions have budgets to help members in need cover basic expenses)…
And the stores will have to figure out how they’re going to respond.
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Closed stores means missed profits (and often spoiled product – fresh fruits and vegetables won’t keep), so there’ll be pressure on Kroger / Albertsons to come to a quick accommodation.
Added to that, of course, is the fact that the unions will be picketing outside closed stores, encouraging people to shop somewhere else, and trying to make life difficult for any workers who cross the picket line and help the stores open.
So the company can come back and negotiate…or can hold out and take the hits, hoping that union members cave first.
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In any scenario involving an actual strike, there will be massive disruptions. That’s just a given.
I mean, take the largest grocery strike ever, which started in October 2003 and lasted through February, 2004.
It was centered in Southern California and involved about 70,000 members striking against Albertsons / Kroger (Vons) and Safeway.
20 weeks of disruptions before a negotiated settlement was hammered out!
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My two cents is that now’s a good time to dust off the Costco membership card and check where your nearest Trader Joe’s is.
Even if you’re not supportive of the likely strike, you’ll want to have alternative places to shop just to reduce the hassle factor.
It may also be a good time to stock up on some household essentials, especially if the Teamsters join.
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All eyes now turn toward the Kroger-UCFW negotiations, which have a handful of planned sessions over the next week or so.
Fingers crossed they make some progress!
And if not – well, I think we all know what happens next.
How are YOU preparing for the largest grocerty store strike in 20 years? Let us know in the comments!
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