Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The union workers are Denver King Supers voting to approve
a strike last night following a long term of negotiations
with the grocer o reunion Workers'.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Rights King Soopers, presenting what they said was their last,
best and final offer, but the United Food and Commercial
Workers Local seven claims the offer was not good enough.
Joining us now on the KWA Common Spirit Health Hotline
to talk more about its President of King Supers, Joe Kelly, Joe,
thank you so much for your time this morning.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Good morning, thanks so much for having me your.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Overall reaction to the select King Supers union employees authorizing
this strike, and do you think that Colorado Springs and
Pueblo will also follow suit today and tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
I'm not sure that we know yet about Colorado Springs
and Pueblo, but we're extremely disappointed by the outcome of
Local seven painting a strike authorization. You know, King Supers
would remain committed to our primary focus of increasing associates
paychecks by keeping groceries affordable, and this move by the
union for the strike authorization, as we talked about the
other day, is extremely premature since they have any allowed
(01:00):
their members our associates to vote in the company's last,
best and final offer, which includes significant wage increases along
with industry leading healthcare and a very secure pension.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
Joe, what are the contingency plans now?
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Well, you know, the last thing anybody wants is a strike,
not our people, not our communities. But we will keep
our stores open as we did back in twenty two
in the event of a workstoppage. We have that responsibility
for our communities to remain open. We're hiring temporary workers
just in case, but I want to be clear, these
are not replacement workers. He's the temporary workers to help
(01:36):
us keep the stores open, and we have playing a
support around Colorado as well as other states to help
us do so. But again, we still think that there's
an opportunity. I think that Kim put Over in Local
seven should do the right thing. Put this offer in
front of the members our associates and let them vote.
It's their decision, it's not her decision, and I'm really concerned.
(01:56):
You know, strike brings tremendous uncertainty and financial hardships to
our associates, and they don't need that, and their families
don't need that, as well as our customers and our
communities don't need that either, So you know, I employ
a Local seven to negotiate in good faith. We've had
over thirteen bargaining sessions since October. We've put four different
wave proposals on the table, including our last, best and
(02:17):
final offer, and we've also followed an unfair labor practice
because unfortunately they're refusing to bargain in good faith, installing
the process.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Joe, with that last best and final offer, will you
go back to the drawing board in any way?
Speaker 4 (02:30):
Or is this it? On King Superside?
Speaker 3 (02:33):
We said, and we continue to say, we would go
back to the table at any time. All the money
is on the table. We're happy to continue to talk
about burbage that she continues with her rhetoric or out
scheduling and safety. We're happy to have those discussions. We
have those discussions every single day. But unfortunately we can't
go back to the table and negotiate against ourselves, and
(02:53):
that's what's been happening. I would just ask the union,
particularly Kim Kodover, to do the thing for our associates
and for the communities and come back to the table
and let's has some discussions. But the last best and
final offer is exactly that all the money is on
the table.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
Joe, I want to go back to the workers piece.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Are these people that you already have in the kiddy
because is there a certain skill of us for certain jobs?
Where are you going to find this pool of workers
to fill the gap?
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Yeah, it is. You know, we have a very large
company across the country, and we have tremendous support with
our sister companies as well as our non union stores
here in Colorado. So as we had to do back
in twenty twenty two, we kept every one of our
stores open, and we'll do the same thing. I just
I'm more concerned about, you know, our associates. You know,
they don't need this. All the conversations we have as
we're walking our stores, they don't even know why a
(03:40):
strike vote's being taken. This unfair labor practice that she's stating.
The National Labor Relations Board has not determined any wrongdoing
on Kings Supersprit and these allegations are just merely that
equivocally will defend them, but it's unfortunately you can take
a strike vote before you even allow the associates to vote.
The offer that's been on the table for quite some time.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Well, Joe, we're learning right now that union president Kim
Cordova will be joining us at seven nineteen this morning.
Do you have a question that you'd like us to ask.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Quite frankly, why won't you let the members vote on
the last, best and final offer. That's her job, that
she works for them. That's not the other way around.
And from what I'm hearing, the associates at least want
the opportunity to vote and to vote as their right,
and that would implore her to do so.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
I think I asked you this before, But do you
get the sentiment of the majority of the workers in
line and lockstep with the union or is there some
gray areas, some daylight between the union and some of
the workers and some of the stores.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
I think there's a tremendous amount of a gray area,
and that's why I'm saying she should allow them to vote.
It's their decision, not hers. We have shared the last
best and final offer with all of our associates because
she chose not to do it, They've had it for
quite some time. We're hearing tremendous comments about the wages.
Our healthcare is best in class. To begin with, I
think I shared with you before. You know that the
(05:00):
amount amount of money that our associates with the family
pays will be twenty nine dollars a week for them
and their entire family. The average Colorado pays one hundred
and thirty three dollars and fifty cents a week, so
healthcare comes into play as well. Not to mention with healthcare,
our average hourly rate is close to twenty nine dollars
and fifty cents, where the average full time cash are
in Colorado which just still the seventeen dollars. So we
(05:21):
think we have a very fair offer on the table.
I believe our associates do too, but unfortunately I can't
force her to put that offer in front of them,
and she should do it.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
It's her job, Joe, and wrapping up with you.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Obviously this is probably unknown at this time, but any
timeline of how long you think this strike could be
taking place? How long did it take last time when
these negotiations took place.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
The last time was nine days. I don't control that either.
There was no need for the strike last time either.
You know, we said last best and final off for
the last time, and all the money was on the
table Unfortunately, our associates went through the financial hardship. It
affected them and affected their family, and when they came
back to the table, the contract was settled for less,
(06:03):
not more. This is not the way it works when
the last best and final offers put on the table.
That's exactly it. And the reason we put it on
the table is because the local brought nothing to us.
They never brought us one wage proposal in the entire time.
So for this rhetoric to be out there about we're
not negotiating in good faith, We're the only ones that
are negotiating and good faith. And again, I feel awful
(06:24):
for our associates and for our communities, and I hope
she does the right thing because it's time to allow
our associates per members to vote the last, best and
final offer.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
I apologize. I have one more question. I want to ask.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
Are you concerned about losing your labor force because of
these other competitors in the space.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
I'm always concerned about that, but I will tell you
we have such a terrific amount of associates in our organization.
We're up here close to twenty five thousand people now,
and we have so many people over twenty thirty, forty
and even fifty years with the company. You know, I'm
more concerned about what they have to go through during
a strike, standing out in Nicoles, standing in front of stores,
(07:01):
when in fact they want to do their jobs. And
at the end of the day, we all want to
do the same thing. That's to take care of our
customers and our communities. And we're hope so and we're
certainly hopeful that that that will happen. We show we
do the right thing and put this last, best and
final offer in front of them to vote it.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
President of King Soper's, Joe Kelly, thank you so much
for your time this morning and joining us on such
a short notice.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
We appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
Thank you for having me
The union workers are Denver King Supers voting to approve
a strike last night following a long term of negotiations
with the grocer o reunion Workers'.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Rights King Soopers, presenting what they said was their last,
best and final offer, but the United Food and Commercial
Workers Local seven claims the offer was not good enough.
Joining us now on the KWA Common Spirit Health Hotline
to talk more about its President of King Supers, Joe Kelly, Joe,
thank you so much for your time this morning.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Good morning, thanks so much for having me your.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Overall reaction to the select King Supers union employees authorizing
this strike, and do you think that Colorado Springs and
Pueblo will also follow suit today and tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
I'm not sure that we know yet about Colorado Springs
and Pueblo, but we're extremely disappointed by the outcome of
Local seven painting a strike authorization. You know, King Supers
would remain committed to our primary focus of increasing associates
paychecks by keeping groceries affordable, and this move by the
union for the strike authorization, as we talked about the
other day, is extremely premature since they have any allowed
(01:00):
their members our associates to vote in the company's last,
best and final offer, which includes significant wage increases along
with industry leading healthcare and a very secure pension.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
Joe, what are the contingency plans now?
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Well, you know, the last thing anybody wants is a strike,
not our people, not our communities. But we will keep
our stores open as we did back in twenty two
in the event of a workstoppage. We have that responsibility
for our communities to remain open. We're hiring temporary workers
just in case, but I want to be clear, these
are not replacement workers. He's the temporary workers to help
(01:36):
us keep the stores open, and we have playing a
support around Colorado as well as other states to help
us do so. But again, we still think that there's
an opportunity. I think that Kim put Over in Local
seven should do the right thing. Put this offer in
front of the members our associates and let them vote.
It's their decision, it's not her decision, and I'm really concerned.
(01:56):
You know, strike brings tremendous uncertainty and financial hardships to
our associates, and they don't need that, and their families
don't need that, as well as our customers and our
communities don't need that either, So you know, I employ
a Local seven to negotiate in good faith. We've had
over thirteen bargaining sessions since October. We've put four different
wave proposals on the table, including our last, best and
(02:17):
final offer, and we've also followed an unfair labor practice
because unfortunately they're refusing to bargain in good faith, installing
the process.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
Joe, with that last best and final offer, will you
go back to the drawing board in any way?
Speaker 4 (02:30):
Or is this it? On King Superside?
Speaker 3 (02:33):
We said, and we continue to say, we would go
back to the table at any time. All the money
is on the table. We're happy to continue to talk
about burbage that she continues with her rhetoric or out
scheduling and safety. We're happy to have those discussions. We
have those discussions every single day. But unfortunately we can't
go back to the table and negotiate against ourselves, and
(02:53):
that's what's been happening. I would just ask the union,
particularly Kim Kodover, to do the thing for our associates
and for the communities and come back to the table
and let's has some discussions. But the last best and
final offer is exactly that all the money is on
the table.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
Joe, I want to go back to the workers piece.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Are these people that you already have in the kiddy
because is there a certain skill of us for certain jobs?
Where are you going to find this pool of workers
to fill the gap?
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Yeah, it is. You know, we have a very large
company across the country, and we have tremendous support with
our sister companies as well as our non union stores
here in Colorado. So as we had to do back
in twenty twenty two, we kept every one of our
stores open, and we'll do the same thing. I just
I'm more concerned about, you know, our associates. You know,
they don't need this. All the conversations we have as
we're walking our stores, they don't even know why a
(03:40):
strike vote's being taken. This unfair labor practice that she's stating.
The National Labor Relations Board has not determined any wrongdoing
on Kings Supersprit and these allegations are just merely that
equivocally will defend them, but it's unfortunately you can take
a strike vote before you even allow the associates to vote.
The offer that's been on the table for quite some time.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Well, Joe, we're learning right now that union president Kim
Cordova will be joining us at seven nineteen this morning.
Do you have a question that you'd like us to ask.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Quite frankly, why won't you let the members vote on
the last, best and final offer. That's her job, that
she works for them. That's not the other way around.
And from what I'm hearing, the associates at least want
the opportunity to vote and to vote as their right,
and that would implore her to do so.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
I think I asked you this before, But do you
get the sentiment of the majority of the workers in
line and lockstep with the union or is there some
gray areas, some daylight between the union and some of
the workers and some of the stores.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
I think there's a tremendous amount of a gray area,
and that's why I'm saying she should allow them to vote.
It's their decision, not hers. We have shared the last
best and final offer with all of our associates because
she chose not to do it, They've had it for
quite some time. We're hearing tremendous comments about the wages.
Our healthcare is best in class. To begin with, I
think I shared with you before. You know that the
(05:00):
amount amount of money that our associates with the family
pays will be twenty nine dollars a week for them
and their entire family. The average Colorado pays one hundred
and thirty three dollars and fifty cents a week, so
healthcare comes into play as well. Not to mention with healthcare,
our average hourly rate is close to twenty nine dollars
and fifty cents, where the average full time cash are
in Colorado which just still the seventeen dollars. So we
(05:21):
think we have a very fair offer on the table.
I believe our associates do too, but unfortunately I can't
force her to put that offer in front of them,
and she should do it.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
It's her job, Joe, and wrapping up with you.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Obviously this is probably unknown at this time, but any
timeline of how long you think this strike could be
taking place? How long did it take last time when
these negotiations took place.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
The last time was nine days. I don't control that either.
There was no need for the strike last time either.
You know, we said last best and final off for
the last time, and all the money was on the
table Unfortunately, our associates went through the financial hardship. It
affected them and affected their family, and when they came
back to the table, the contract was settled for less,
(06:03):
not more. This is not the way it works when
the last best and final offers put on the table.
That's exactly it. And the reason we put it on
the table is because the local brought nothing to us.
They never brought us one wage proposal in the entire time.
So for this rhetoric to be out there about we're
not negotiating in good faith, We're the only ones that
are negotiating and good faith. And again, I feel awful
(06:24):
for our associates and for our communities, and I hope
she does the right thing because it's time to allow
our associates per members to vote the last, best and
final offer.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
I apologize. I have one more question. I want to ask.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
Are you concerned about losing your labor force because of
these other competitors in the space.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
I'm always concerned about that, but I will tell you
we have such a terrific amount of associates in our organization.
We're up here close to twenty five thousand people now,
and we have so many people over twenty thirty, forty
and even fifty years with the company. You know, I'm
more concerned about what they have to go through during
a strike, standing out in Nicoles, standing in front of stores,
(07:01):
when in fact they want to do their jobs. And
at the end of the day, we all want to
do the same thing. That's to take care of our
customers and our communities. And we're hope so and we're
certainly hopeful that that that will happen. We show we
do the right thing and put this last, best and
final offer in front of them to vote it.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
President of King Soper's, Joe Kelly, thank you so much
for your time this morning and joining us on such
a short notice.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
We appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
Thank you for having me
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