UFCW Local 700
Member Information Center
Indianapolis Kroger Negotiations
"I can't believe it, they are not doing anything about our contract"
That is a direct quote from an email we received last week from a former UFCW 700 member. They are a former member because they stopped paying dues for poor representation as many others have done.
(If that is how you feel, we recommend you download our sample letter to stop dues deductions from your paycheck. If you are a Kroger employee and wish to stop paying dues, download and send this letter to UFCW Local 700 and copy the Kroger payroll department.
If there is any problem or the dues deductions continue, we recommend you contact the National Right to Work Legal Defense Fund for free legal help.)
What are the highly paid union officers at local 700 doing to get the Kroger contract done?
The contract covers about 6000 people and expired almost a year ago on May 12th.
UFCW Local 700 had a "negotiating" session on December 11, 2012. Nothing happened. They gave Kroger a couple of proposals but nothing was agreed to.
Then UFCW 700 staff decided to "take a break from negotiations over the holidays".
At that time, we were told there would be a lot of negotiations in January and February.
Despite their talk, what really happened?
On January 7th and 8th, they had "subcommittee meetings" with Kroger and representatives from the UFCW international. "Subcommittee meetings" is really code for trying to cut a backroom deal with Kroger without the members.
Then there was one negotiating session on March 7 and another is scheduled for March 21.
Not exactly the "significant number of bargaining sessions in January and February" they promised back in December.
It is becoming clearer and clearer the officers and staff of UFCW Local 700 have no idea how to get this contract settled. When and if there is a final result, you can be assured the members are going to take it on the chin.
As of last year, President Joe Chorpenning was making about $180k per year with two pensions and a free car. As you can see on the salary page, the rest of the staff is making a lot of cash too.
Stay tuned for new financial reports coming out very soon. The Department of Labor will release the UFCW 700 LM reports at the end of March. We will have them posted here for you to download and share. Even though they did not get a contract done, we will see if the UFCW 700 staff gave themselves big raises again. (Will the numbers also show they had to sell the building to make their bloated payroll?) j
New Year, same lazy UFCW
Still no progress on Kroger Negotiations!
Welcome to 2013. In the new year, UFCW Local 700 members continue to be upset by the failure of highly paid union officers to get the Kroger contract done. Everyday we receive emails for members who can't understand why the UFCW staff won't do their job.
Lets review what happened in 2012. The Kroger contract covering 6000 people expired on May 12th. UFCW Local 700 had their last "negotiating" session on December 11, 2012. Nothing happened. They gave Kroger a couple of proposals but nothing was agreed to.
Then UFCW 700 staff decided to "take a break from negotiations over the holidays". Really, during a time when UFCW members are working harder than ever, the staff took a break and put their feet up. It is not like they earned it.
Maybe they needed the extra time to figure out how to spend the large Christmas bonuses they each receive.
(More about that in the future, but all UFCW 700 staff get extra bonus equal to a week's check at Christmas. Ask them about it at the next membership meeting.)
Supposedly, there are to be some negotiations some time in January!!!
Remember, Joe Chorpenning makes about $180k per year with two pensions and a free car but won't show up for work. The rest of the staff is making a lot of cash too.
The new financial reports for 2012 will come out in March. It will be interesting to see how big the raises were last year. It would be nice if some of them did their job.
Members continue to ask why they should have to pay for such poor representation.
If that is how you feel, we recommend you download our sample letter to stop dues deductions from your paycheck.
If you are a Kroger employee and wish to stop paying dues, download and send this letter to UFCW Local 700 and copy the Kroger payroll department.
If there is any problem or the dues deductions continue, we recommend you contact the National Right to Work Legal Defense Fund for free legal help.
Remember, the Kroger Indy contract covering 6000 workers expired May 12th. Their original excuse for not bargaining was they were waiting on the Supreme Court decision on the Affordable Care Act. That happened on June 28th.
What have they been doing since then?
Nothing in July!
Nothing in August!
Nothing in September!
One session on October 2nd
One session on November 9th
One session on December 11th
Sure would be nice to have a union that showed up for work and did their job.
Hope they do a better job than the last Kroger contract they "negotiated" (effective May 25, 2008 to May 12, 2012)
Last time, those earning the big salaries at UFCW 700 managed to negotiate a contract which had
starting pay rates of MINIMUM WAGE. Unbelievable!
Here it is, the actual wage scale from the last contract. Grocery clerk wages start at $7.25 the same as
Federal minimum wage. This means after union dues are deducted, the starting grocery clerk is making less
minimum wage.
Of course if you work hard and stick around for 3 years you will be at a rate of $7.75.
At almost 3 years of work you are making 50 cents more than minimum wage.
Should people really have to pay dues for this type of representation?
That is a direct quote from an email we received last week from a former UFCW 700 member. They are a former member because they stopped paying dues for poor representation as many others have done.
(If that is how you feel, we recommend you download our sample letter to stop dues deductions from your paycheck. If you are a Kroger employee and wish to stop paying dues, download and send this letter to UFCW Local 700 and copy the Kroger payroll department.
If there is any problem or the dues deductions continue, we recommend you contact the National Right to Work Legal Defense Fund for free legal help.)
What are the highly paid union officers at local 700 doing to get the Kroger contract done?
The contract covers about 6000 people and expired almost a year ago on May 12th.
UFCW Local 700 had a "negotiating" session on December 11, 2012. Nothing happened. They gave Kroger a couple of proposals but nothing was agreed to.
Then UFCW 700 staff decided to "take a break from negotiations over the holidays".
At that time, we were told there would be a lot of negotiations in January and February.
Despite their talk, what really happened?
On January 7th and 8th, they had "subcommittee meetings" with Kroger and representatives from the UFCW international. "Subcommittee meetings" is really code for trying to cut a backroom deal with Kroger without the members.
Then there was one negotiating session on March 7 and another is scheduled for March 21.
Not exactly the "significant number of bargaining sessions in January and February" they promised back in December.
It is becoming clearer and clearer the officers and staff of UFCW Local 700 have no idea how to get this contract settled. When and if there is a final result, you can be assured the members are going to take it on the chin.
As of last year, President Joe Chorpenning was making about $180k per year with two pensions and a free car. As you can see on the salary page, the rest of the staff is making a lot of cash too.
Stay tuned for new financial reports coming out very soon. The Department of Labor will release the UFCW 700 LM reports at the end of March. We will have them posted here for you to download and share. Even though they did not get a contract done, we will see if the UFCW 700 staff gave themselves big raises again. (Will the numbers also show they had to sell the building to make their bloated payroll?) j
New Year, same lazy UFCW
Still no progress on Kroger Negotiations!
Welcome to 2013. In the new year, UFCW Local 700 members continue to be upset by the failure of highly paid union officers to get the Kroger contract done. Everyday we receive emails for members who can't understand why the UFCW staff won't do their job.
Lets review what happened in 2012. The Kroger contract covering 6000 people expired on May 12th. UFCW Local 700 had their last "negotiating" session on December 11, 2012. Nothing happened. They gave Kroger a couple of proposals but nothing was agreed to.
Then UFCW 700 staff decided to "take a break from negotiations over the holidays". Really, during a time when UFCW members are working harder than ever, the staff took a break and put their feet up. It is not like they earned it.
Maybe they needed the extra time to figure out how to spend the large Christmas bonuses they each receive.
(More about that in the future, but all UFCW 700 staff get extra bonus equal to a week's check at Christmas. Ask them about it at the next membership meeting.)
Supposedly, there are to be some negotiations some time in January!!!
Remember, Joe Chorpenning makes about $180k per year with two pensions and a free car but won't show up for work. The rest of the staff is making a lot of cash too.
The new financial reports for 2012 will come out in March. It will be interesting to see how big the raises were last year. It would be nice if some of them did their job.
Members continue to ask why they should have to pay for such poor representation.
If that is how you feel, we recommend you download our sample letter to stop dues deductions from your paycheck.
If you are a Kroger employee and wish to stop paying dues, download and send this letter to UFCW Local 700 and copy the Kroger payroll department.
If there is any problem or the dues deductions continue, we recommend you contact the National Right to Work Legal Defense Fund for free legal help.
Remember, the Kroger Indy contract covering 6000 workers expired May 12th. Their original excuse for not bargaining was they were waiting on the Supreme Court decision on the Affordable Care Act. That happened on June 28th.
What have they been doing since then?
Nothing in July!
Nothing in August!
Nothing in September!
One session on October 2nd
One session on November 9th
One session on December 11th
Sure would be nice to have a union that showed up for work and did their job.
Hope they do a better job than the last Kroger contract they "negotiated" (effective May 25, 2008 to May 12, 2012)
Last time, those earning the big salaries at UFCW 700 managed to negotiate a contract which had
starting pay rates of MINIMUM WAGE. Unbelievable!
Here it is, the actual wage scale from the last contract. Grocery clerk wages start at $7.25 the same as
Federal minimum wage. This means after union dues are deducted, the starting grocery clerk is making less
minimum wage.
Of course if you work hard and stick around for 3 years you will be at a rate of $7.75.
At almost 3 years of work you are making 50 cents more than minimum wage.
Should people really have to pay dues for this type of representation?
