More than 8,000 union workers at Kroger-owned King Soopers in Denver went on strike Wednesday amid stalled negotiations over labor practices and wages.

The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 strike impacts 87 of 151 King Soopers locations, with 8,400 workers walking off the job at 5 a.m. MST.

King Soopers/City Market President Joe Kelley criticized the disruption in a statement.

"Local 7 is putting politics before people and preventing us from putting more money in our associates' pockets," Kelley said. "Creating more disruption for our associates, their families, and Coloradans rather than negotiating for a peaceful resolution is irresponsible and undemocratic."

Stores would remain open, the company said.

The strike came after the company made "a last, best and final offer" that was emailed to the union on Tuesday. A news release about the offer said that the company would invest $170 million over the next three years, including wage increases and bonuses.

The company offered a wage increase of $4.50 per hour in the first year "based on job classification and tenure, with additional increases over the life of the contract," along with a new starting rate of $16 per hour.

Kim Kordova, president of UFCW Local 7, said the offer was in many ways "worse than its previous offers."

She said that Kroger "has failed to respond to critical requests and data concerning the wage, health and safety matters that are central to these negotiations. ... We strike because it has become clear this is the only way to get what is fair, just, and equitable for the grocery workers who have risked their lives every day just by showing up to work during the pandemic."

A study by the Economic Roundtable, which says it undertook the largest-ever survey of retail workers on behalf of the Kroger King Sooper unions, said Tuesday that many of food workers employed by Kroger struggle to pay for basic expenses and are experiencing food insecurity.

On Dec. 18, workers at Fred Meyer and QFC stores, also owned by Kroger, staged a one-day strike in Portland, Ore., over labor practices and pay before reaching a labor agreement.

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