The UFCW Local 911 members are staying strong and patient, even through continuing tough negotiations with the Kroger Company. 

The Bargaining Committee met with the company in negotiations on Friday. Negotiations began at 9:00am and continued until 4:00 a.m. Saturday morning, without a tentative agreement being reached. The company indicated that they were willing to continue to negotiate and that they weren’t yet giving the Bargaining Committee their last, best and final offer.

On the advice of the Federal Mediator, both parties agreed to a contract extension on a meeting to meeting basis, which allows either party to cancel with 72 hours notice.

Both sides are tentatively scheduled to resume negotiations early next week.

While an economic action by the members of UFCW Local 911 has been averted for now, it is important to remember that the company continues to offer Toledo workers less than they offered workers in Detroit. They also continue to demand UNLIMITED and UNRESTRICTED vendor stocking, and that in effect could result in the outsourcing of jobs.

These have been tough negotiations thus far, and they will probably get tougher before they get better. However, members are showing patience and solidarity in fighting for a new contract for all Toledo Local 911 members, and in setting the right tone for upcoming Kroger negotiations around the county.