Contract talks are back on between United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 and Safeway parent company Albertsons, as grocery workers in several Colorado cities marked day 13 of their strike on Friday.
UFCW Local 7 President Kim Cordova made the announcement in a video posted on social media late Thursday afternoon and encouraged those on the picket line to stay strong and keep up their efforts.
Cordova also said the union is preparing to start talks back up with King Soopers and City Market on July 1 and 2.
In February, about 10,000 King Soopers employees walked picket lines at 77 stores in Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson counties, as well as in Boulder and Louisville.
The 12-day strike came to an end after King Soopers and union leaders agreed to a temporary deal that paused the labor dispute for 100 days.
The two parties agreed to extend the peace period through the end of the day on June 8, according to the union’s bargaining updates. However, it was announced this month that no new agreements were reached.
“We’re still bargaining for all of the contracts across the state, but we need everybody to stay united and stay together,” Cordova said.
“We’re taking on the two largest grocers in America, and so this fight is big. This is about more than just this contract. It’s about future contracts.”
Union members are asking both companies to address key demands such as better staffing levels, livable wages and the protection of workers’ health and pension benefits.
Cordova further said that any progress the union makes with Safeway is an advantage to everyone.
“When we pulled the first picket lines with Safeway, we were able to get Safeway to get up some of their health care concessionary proposals, the same proposals that King Soopers has on the table right now,” she said.
A Safeway spokesperson told The Post there are no new updates on union bargaining at this time, but negotiations are taking place today.
The union has rolled out the Safeway strike slowly, and The Post has compiled a list of all stores that have gone on strike so far, using the union’s social media updates and news releases.
At the time of publication, 30 of the over 80 Safeway locations listed on the union’s website have gone on strike, consisting of 29 stores and one distribution center.
The walkouts include locations in Denver, Lakewood, Aurora, Estes Park, Longmont, Colorado Springs, Wheat Ridge, Highlands Ranch, Grand Junction, Lone Tree, Boulder, Pueblo, Castle Rock, Fountain, Fort Morgan, Greeley, Brighton and Littleton.
Colorado Safeway locations on strike
- Safeway #41, 13111 W. Alameda Pkwy., Lakewood
- Safeway #244, 3800 W. 44th Ave., Denver
- Safeway #841, 1200 S. Buckley Rd., Aurora
- Safeway #920, 451 E Wonderview Ave., Estes Park
- Safeway #1116, 1050 Ken Pratt Blvd., Longmont
- Safeway #1248, 2660 Federal Blvd., Denver
- Safeway #1463, 2150 S. Downing St., Denver
- Safeway #1466, 1121 N. Circle Dr., Colorado Springs
- Safeway #1479, 3900 Wadsworth Blvd., Wheat Ridge
- Safeway #1480, 9255 S. Broadway, Highlands Ranch
- Safeway #1533, 2901 F Rd., Grand Junction
- Safeway #1548, 9229 E. Lincoln Ave., Lone Tree
- Safeway #1599, 12442 West Ken Caryl Ave., Littleton
- Safeway #1614, 560 Corona St., Denver
- Safeway #1615, 3325 28th St., Boulder
- Safeway #1760, 1017 N. Market Plaza, Pueblo West
- Safeway #1877, 880 S. Perry St., Castle Rock
- Safeway #1928, 18730 East Hampden Ave., Aurora
- Safeway #1975, 6925 Mesa Ridge Pkwy., Fountain
- Safeway #2246, 757 E. 20th Ave., Denver
- Safeway #2341, 620 W. Platte Ave., Fort Morgan
- Safeway #2342, 11088 W. Jewell Ave., Lakewood
- Safeway #2625, 681 Horizon Dr., Grand Junction
- Safeway #2666, 4548 Centerplace Dr., Greeley
- Safeway #2791, 181 W. Mineral Ave., Littleton
- Safeway #2910, 1632 Hover Rd., Longmont
- Safeway #2917, 1605 Bridge St., Brighton
- Safeway #2918, 3526 W. 10th St., Greeley
- Safeway #3729, 1231 S. Prairie Ave., Pueblo
- Safeway Distribution Center, 4600 Stapleton Drive South, Denver
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