Kowalski's union grocery workers in Twin Cities could strike next week

Six hundred grocery workers at six Kowalski's Markets across the west metro have planned a three-day unfair labor practices strike Aug. 4-6.

The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 663 voted Monday to strike next week at the Hennepin, Lyndale, Parkview, Eagan, Eden Prairie and Excelsior stores.

"Our coworkers stood together against company intimidation and demonstrated our power as a union and voted to authorize a strike," Local 663 said in a press release. "Kowalski's has engaged in unfair labor practices meant to stop us from exercising our rights despite our tireless efforts to serve customers every day."

In an email, a Kowalski's executive accused the union of "unfair labor practices by surface bargaining and [misrepresenting] Kowalski's health insurance proposals to our employees."

"Despite accusations to the contrary, we have been and will continue to bargain in good faith with the union. UFCW 663 leadership is misleading our employees with both false information and intimidation tactics," said Mike Oase, chief operating officer of Kowalski's. "Kowalski's respects the right of employees to strike but denies it engaged in any unfair labor practices."

Oase also said the "type of unfair labor practice charge filed by the union is a tactic used by unions to avoid striking over economic issues, which would allow an employer to permanently replace striking workers."

On June 26, the company filed an unfair labor practices charge with the National Labor Relations Board against Local 663, alleging the union was bargaining in bad faith.

Then on July 13, the union filed an amended unfair labor practices charge and alleged intimidation of its employees who were exercising their rights to participate in protected concerted activity, interfering with concerted union activity, illegal surveillance of union activity and bargaining in bad faith.

The same union represented 2,500 Lunds & Byerlys workers who came to an agreement without having to follow through on plans to strike ahead of the July 4th holiday. Local 663 also came to an eleventh-hour agreement with Cub that averted a strike by 3,300 employees ahead of the Easter holiday. The union dropped unfair labor practice charges in both cases.

Kowalski's union members said they are seeking better wages and to maintain worker-driven health care. Oase said Kowalski's is offering a more comprehensive health care plan that is less expensive to employees.

A store retail specialist currently starts at an hourly wage of $13.25, going up to $20.30 after five years, according to the contract on the union's website. Full-time food handlers and pharmacy employees start at $15.45 per hour, going up to $26.83 an hour after five years.

Local 663, whose union members at Kowalski's have been working without a contract since March 5, said it's willing to continue negotiations.