Grocery store workers at Kroger (Fred Meyer and QFC) and Albertsons/Safeway are taking to the picket lines across King, Kitsap, Pierce, and Snohomish counties today and tomorrow for informational picketing after 4 months of failed contract negotiations. A press release from the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 21 and 367, and the Teamsters Union 38 said that the purpose is to reach out to customers of those stores about the serious challenges the unions face. Tom Geiger, Communications Director for UFCW 21, said that after four months of contract negotiations that cover nearly 30,000 grocery store workers, Informational Pickets have been called for 32 locations this week.

A schedule of stores starts in Tacoma on Tues 7/30, most actions are on Weds 7/31 in King County, then more sites on Thurs 8/1 in Snohomish County and Tacoma. No stores from the Grays Harbor area were listed on the schedule, but local store employees are members of the same unions.

The purpose of Informational Picketing is to reach out to customers about the serious challenges in the contract negotiations. Geiger said that while there has been progress made in negotiation sessions, there is still a long way to go to reach an agreement. He added, “Workers are increasingly feeling the pressure of understaffing, unpredictable schedules, and low wages. While the wealthy CEOs of the big national grocery store chains are making more than 300 times their average worker, the employers are proposing wage increases of only a fraction of what workers need.”

The grocery store workers are represented by UFCW 21, Teamsters 38 and UFCW 367.

INFORMATIONAL PICKET LOCATIONS:

Tuesday, July 30

Tacoma

Fred Meyer Stevens 4505 S 19th St // 10am-12pm / 2pm-4pm / 6pm-8pm

Wednesday, July 31

North Seattle

Safeway N City 17202-15th Ave NE Seattle, WA // 12:30pm

Safeway Pine Hurst 12318-15th Ave NE Seattle, WA // 1:30pm

Kent

Safeway Kent Valley 210 Washington Ave S Kent, WA // 12:30pm

Fred Meyer Kent 10201 SE 240th St Kent, WA // 1:30pm

Renton

Safeway 200 S 3rd St Renton, WA // 12:30pm

Fred Meyer 365 Renton Center Way SW Renton, WA // 1:30pm

Bellevue

QFC Bel-East 1510-0145th Pl SE Bellevue, WA // 12:30pm

FM Bellevue 2041-0148th NE Bellevue, WA // 1:30pm

Auburn

FM Auburn 801 Auburn Way N Auburn, WA // 12:30pm

Safeway Auburn 101 Auburn Way S Auburn, WA // 1:30pm

University Village

Safeway U Village 3020 NE 45th St. Seattle, WA // 12:30pm

QFC U Village 2746 NE 45th St Seattle, WA // 1:30pm

Lower Queen Ann

Safeway Lower QA 516-1st Ave W Seattle, WA // 12:30pm

Safeway Upper QA 2100 Queen Anne Ave N Seattle, WA // 1:30pm

West Seattle

Safeway 4740-42nd Ave SW Seattle, WA // 12:30pm

QFC West Seattle 4550- 42nd Ave SW Seattle, WA // 1:30pm

Coal Creek

QFC 6940 Coal Creek Pkwy SE Renton, WA // 12:30pm

Safeway 6911 Coal Creek Parkway SE Renton, WA // 1:30pm

Issaquah

QFC Issaquah 1540 Gilman Blvd Issaquah, WA // 12:30pm

Safeway Issaquah 735 Gilman Blvd Issaquah, WA // 1:30pm

Redmond

QFC Bella Bottega 8867-161st Ave NE Redmond, WA // 12:30pm

QFC Redmond 15800 Redmond Way Redmond, WA // 1:30pm

Thursday, August 1

Tacoma

Fred Meyer Pacific 7250 Pacific Ave­ // 10am-12pm / 2pm-4pm / 6pm-8pm

Port Orchard

Safeway 3355 Bethel Rd SE, Port Orchard, WA // 12:30pm

Albertsons 1434 Olney Ave SE Port Orchard, WA // 1:30pm

Fred Meyer 1900 SE Sedgwick Rd Port Orchard, WA // 12:30pm

Albertsons 370 Sedgwick Rd Port Orchard, WA // 1:30pm

Monroe

FM Monroe 18805 State Route 2 Monroe, WA // 12:30pm

Safeway Monroe 1951 Highway 2 Monroe, WA // 1:30pm

Everett

FM Everett 8530 Evergreen Way Everett, WA // 12:30pm

FM Lynnwood 4615-196th SW Lynnwood, WA // 1:30pm