King Soopers is seeking to stop workers from picketing outside its stores.
The Colorado grocer operated by Kroger announced Tuesday it was asking the courts for a temporary restraining order against striking, stating it was doing so because it created “unsafe conditions.”
The strike against King Soopers began in the Denver metro area and in Pueblo began last weekend ahead of the busy Super Bowl weekend after the grocer and the union representing its workers failed to reach an agreement on a new contract.
Some picketers have been walking around sidewalks surrounding King Soopers stores, while others are by the front doors encouraging customers to shop at competitors such as Safeway.
“For the more than 50% of customers who continue to depend on us for access to fresh food, essentials and prescriptions from our pharmacies we have a responsibility to ensure they can safely access our stores,” said Joe Kelley, president of King Soopers, in a news release.
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In response, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 retorted that King Soopers is trying to silence its workers and is using lawsuits to distract from bargaining.
King Soopers filed a lawsuit Friday alleging the union was illegally forcing the grocer to bargain with unions outside of Colorado that don’t represent King Soopers workers. The union called the claims “frivolous.”
“We were on the strike lines today, we will be on the strike lines tomorrow, and we continue to urge King Soopers to stop these unfair labor practices,” Kim Cordova, President of the UFCW Local 7, said in the news release.
It wouldn’t be the first time the grocer tried to stop picketers outside of its stores. A court judge granted King Soopers a temporary restraining order during the 2022 strike.
This story is developing.