Cub Grocery Store Workers Begin Strike

Cub grocery store workers plan to begin their strike Friday in an effort to reach a union contract that includes better wages and workplace protections, among other demands.þþMembers of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 663 union voted earlier this week to strike. The union announced on its Facebook page Wednesday that workers would strike Friday and Saturday, April 7 and 8.þþThe union’s contract has expired at 33 Cub locations across the Twin Cities metro, according to the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 663.þþCub, formerly known as Cub Foods, is a wholly owned subsidiary of United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) with the majority of its stores in Minnesota and at least one in Illinois, according to the company’s website.þþUFCW Local 663 represents over 3,000 essential Cub workers who kept Minnesota fed throughout the pandemic, the union said in a press release.þþLast week, the union filed Unfair Labor Practices charges against United Natural Foods, Inc. Cub Foods, alleging that the company interfered with employees organizing efforts, interrogated employees about union activity, and illegally surveilled union activity, according to the release.þþ“These members have been working without a union contract since March 4 and hope to reach an agreement quickly. They are standing together for better wages, workplace protections, and benefits on the job,” the union’s statement read.þþThe next bargaining session between UFCW 663 members and United Natural Foods, Inc. is set for April 11.þþA flier posted on the union’s Facebook page listed the following 33 Cub locations as corporate-owned stores with union contracts that have expired: þþApple ValleyþBlaine NorthþBlaine South-þBlaine WestþBloomington LyndaleþBrooklyn Park NorthþBrooklyn Park SouthþBurnsville Heart of the CityþBurnsville SouthþChamplinþChanhassenþCoon Rapids SouthþCrystalþEagan EastþEagan NorthþEagan WestþFridleyþLakeville NorthþLakeville SouthþLakeville WestþMaple GroveþMinnehahaþMonticelloþNew BrightonþNorthsideþPlymouth (Vicksburg Ln. N.)þPlymouth Rockford RoadþRosemountþSavageþShorewoodþSt. AnthonyþSt. Louis ParkþUptownþ