UFCW cancels strike vote, expands talks with Smith's grocery chain in New Mexico
The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union last Thursday escalated talks with Smith’s food and drug supermarket chain in New Mexico, deferring a strike vote among 2,800 workers. Smith’s parent company is Kroger, the largest grocery company in America after Walmart.
Among workers, the prospect of strike action was highly popular. In particular, workers pointed to lower wages and especially the cancellation of the $2 per hour “hero bonus” in May of 2020.
Justifying the decision, Smith’s corporate affairs manager Aubriana Martindale told reporters, “Our colleagues [corporate doubletalk for ‘workers’] Our company has bloodlines, but we have to balance those desires with making groceries affordable for our New Mexico community.” Wages for Smith’s workers average $14.05 an hour, not the state’s $11.50 minimum wage. more than, and continues to be worsened by inflation.
Workers have also experienced stress from a variety of sources. There is more work and shortages due to illness and resignations related to COVID-19. Others are leaving Smith to other employers offering better pay, and management does not replace them, which increases the workload on occupants.
Read more: https://darik.news/colorado/ufcw-cancels-strike-vote-expands-talks-with-smiths-grocery-chain-in-new-mexico/202201496277.html