Safeway employees in Denver have joined a growing strike that began over the weekend as workers at three stores in Estes Park, Fountain, and Pueblo, along with a distribution center, initiated labor action.
The workers are demanding better working conditions and are hoping to bring public attention to their plight.
In a statement from the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Local 7, it was noted that this expansion of the strike is aimed at making both the company and the public aware of the workers’ issues.
“This will allow time for the public to understand the problems these workers are facing, allow Safeway/Albertsons time to understand the seriousness of the workers’ resolve, and at the same time reduce the hardship on shoppers and workers alike that result from a wide-spread strike,” the union stated in an email.
Workers at several other locations, including Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, Greeley, Loveland, and Longmont, are set to vote this week on whether to join the strike.
It is important to note that voting to authorize a strike does not automatically mean a walkout will occur at these additional stores, but it does open the door for the union to take that action if necessary.
The union has been in contract negotiations with Safeway and its parent company, Albertsons, for the past seven months, with many employees across Colorado having already voted to approve a strike.
Those employees could strike at any moment if a satisfactory agreement is not reached.
Monique Trujillo, a worker from Fountain, expressed frustration over the circumstances that have led to the strike.
“It’s too bad that things have come to this point … but the ongoing unfair labor practices, including bad faith bargaining, as well as surveilling and threatening workers, have given us no choice but to strike,” Trujillo stated.
In response, a Safeway spokesperson denied the allegations of unfair labor practices.
“Safeway in Colorado remains committed to productive discussions with UFCW Local 7, and we are disappointed the union has chosen to strike some of our stores.
We respect the rights of workers to engage in collective bargaining and are negotiating in good faith to achieve a balanced agreement that rewards our associates, benefits our customers, and is sustainable for our company in the competitive grocery industry,” the spokesperson stated.
The spokesperson emphasized that all Safeway stores in Colorado remain open and are prepared to continue serving their communities.
Compounding the situation, King Soopers, owned by Kroger, is also facing significant negotiations after a previous two-week strike in February.
That strike concluded with a temporary agreement that paused labor actions for 100 days, a period that has now expired.
King Soopers and Safeway, owned by Albertsons, stand as the two largest grocery chains in Colorado, excluding Walmart.
While Kroger operates 148 King Soopers and City Market stores, Albertsons manages 105 Safeway and Albertsons locations throughout the state.
The union alleges that these two supermarket companies are collaborating to extract concessions from workers regarding their healthcare and pension benefits.
Kim Cordova, president of UFCW Local 7, criticized the approach taken by Safeway/Albertsons in their negotiations, suggesting an alignment with their competitor rather than cooperating with the union on fair labor practices.
image source from：https://www.cpr.org/2025/06/16/safeway-strike-estes-park-fountain-pueblo/
