Tentative union agreement averts strike at 6 Twin Cities area Kowalski's grocery stores

Kowalski's Markets and the union representing 600 of its grocery workers at six west-metro stores came to a tentative agreement Friday, averting a three-day unfair labor practices strike planned for next week.

United Food and Commercial Workers Local 663 called off the strike that would have started Aug. 4 at the Hennepin, Lyndale, Parkview, Eagan, Eden Prairie and Excelsior stores.

The tentative agreement is a two-year contract providing significant raises for part-time and full-time positions. It also secures worker-driven healthcare, according to the union, rather than a Kowalski's health insurance proposal.

"We secured our union healthcare, won historic wage increases, pay equity and secured our retirement," Jacob Stromquist, produce manager at the Lyndale Kowalski's store, said in a press release. "I'm proud to be a UFCW Local 663 member and Kowalski's employee."

Mike Oase, Kowalski's chief operating officer, said he was happy to announce the tentative agreement, which "includes a commitment by both sides to improve health care costs and benefits for ... employees, which is very important to [the] company."

The union bargaining committee is currently organizing informational meetings for members to review the tentative agreement and plan for a ratification vote next week.

No details were available about the pay increases. 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.

After their union contract expired March 5, members voted July 24 to authorize an unfair labor practices strike.

Both Kowalski's Markets and the union filed unfair labor practices charges against one another with the National Labor Relations Board. Both sides said they will withdraw their charges.

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 Easter. The union dropped unfair labor practice charges in both cases.