PORTLAND, Ore. — Thousands of Portland Fred Meyer employees are set to strike at stores around the metro area this week. þþThe strike is set to start Wednesday at 6 a.m. and last until Sept. 3 at 8 a.m. unless a deal is reached, according to UFCW Local 555. The union represents about 4,500 Fred Meyer employees.þþEarlier this month, members of the union voted to authorize a strike over alleged unfair labor practices during contract negotiations. þþThe union accuses Fred Meyer management of wage discrepancies among stores and departments and unfair labor practices including withholding essential information during negotiations and not processing grievances. þþIn a statement Dan Clay, the president of the UFCW Local 555 said the strike ÿis crucial to force Fred Meyer to comply with their obligations as an Employer to their Employees. Our members are united in demanding fair treatment, which can only be reached if Fred Meyer actually stands behind its public statements and is willing to fulfill all their obligations and legal requirements.”þþThe strike will happen at 28 Portland metro area stores, including Scappoose and Gresham, and encompasses grocery and meat department workers. Among those departments are cashiers and stockers, a significant portion of workers that make the stores run. þþTodd Kammeyer, the president of Fred Meyer, said in a statement Tuesday that its stores will remain open. þþ“Fred Meyer and Kroger respects our associates’ right to collectively bargain,ÿ Kammeyer said, in part. ÿThe company believes associates should have a voice in choosing what is right for them and their families because the bargaining process ultimately impacts their paychecks. From the beginning, it has always been our goal to put more money in our associates’ pockets.ÿþþKammeyer added, ÿIf the merger is blocked, the only winners will be non-union food retailers, such as Walmart, Costco and Amazon.”þþThe corporation added that Fred Meyer is one of Oregon’s largest unionized employers, with over 13,000 retail associates.þþThe strike comes as Fred Meyer's parent company, Kroger, and Albertsons are in federal court in downtown Portland defending their plan to merge against a Federal Trade Commission trying to block it. UFCW Local 555 recently rescinded its endorsement of the planned $24.6 billion merger. It previously had been the only union to support the deal.
Source: kgw.com
